Step 1

Place the sliced shallots in a large bowl. In a saucepan, combine the champagne vinegar, sugar, water, and salt.

Step 2

Bring the pickling liquid to a simmer over medium heat. Pour the liquid over the shallots. Press the shallots down so they are submerged. Let sit for at least 30 minutes.

Step 3

Use with the salmon cakes and reserve the rest (in the liquid) in the fridge for another use.

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the whole salmon filet, skin side down, on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with a pinch of salt. Roast the fish for 10 minutes (the salmon should be just par-cooked so that when you cook it again for the salmon cakes it won’t be dry). Let cool slightly. Use two forks to flake apart the salmon meat. Discard the skin and set aside.

Step 5

Meanwhile for the yogurt sauce, combine the greek yogurt, dijon mustard, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a bowl. Whisk until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Step 6

Add the rye bread to a food processor. Pulse until slightly course breadcrumbs form. Set aside.

Step 7

In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, greek yogurt, garlic, dijon mustard, cayenne pepper, and salt together until smooth. Fold in the salmon, rye breadcrumbs, fresh dill, and chives.

Step 8

Form the mixture into six salmon cakes. Heat a 12″ skillet over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to generously coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, gently place 3 of the salmon cakes in the pan. Cook until golden brown and crisp on one side, about 2-3 minutes. Gently flip them over using a metal spatula and finish cooking through on the other side, another 2-3 minutes.

Step 9

Transfer the salmon cakes to a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Keep warm while you finish cooking the rest (you can also use two skillets or a griddle to cook them all at once). Serve with a dollop of yogurt sauce, a few pickled shallots, extra fresh herbs, and freshly cracked black pepper.