Spicy Salmon Fish Cakes

2 salmon fillets

2 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 chilli finely chopped

A handful of chopped fresh coriander

A pint of milk (don't bother measuring out)

1 egg

2 lemons

100ml of oil (sunflower rapeseed, vegetable. Just not extra virgin olive oil)

A handful of salad leaves

Plain flour

Salt

Pepper

preparation 6 mins • you cook for 25 mins • total time 41 mins

Serves 2

Watch a 30 second preview of my cook-along video below

If you cannot view the video below, click here to download QuickTime from Apple's website.

These delicious fish cakes are the result of lots of testing! Different fish, different herbs, until I found the perfect balance. Tasty salmon with soft fluffy potato, the hint of heat from the chilli, and the freshness of coriander. Writing this makes me want to go and make some! This is a two part recipe. In part one we is cook the potato and salmon. In part two we make and cook the fish cakes.

Large pan for the potatoes

Smaller saucepan for the salmon to poach

Large mixing bowl

Large sautee pan or wok to fry the fish cakes

A couple of spare dinner plates for the fish cakes

Fish slice

Spoon to stir

Masher

Slotted spoon to remove the fish cakes

Before you start, have the potatoes peeled and quartered and a pan of boiling water on the hob. Have your pan for the salmon on the hob with the salmon and milk ready.Now click here!

Before you start, have the other ingredients out and ready. Have your mixing bowl ready with two plates next to it. Put your pan to fry the fish cakes on the hob and click here!

Firstly you need to pop the potatoes into boiling water, then put your salmon in the smaller pan and cover with milk. Turn the heat onto full for the salmon and then once it's come to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the fish from the milk and leave them to the side to cool slightly. By now the potatoes should be nice and soft also, so drain them and pop them back in the pan. If your potatoes need a few more minutes to soften, that's fine, just leave them boiling until they're ready to mash.

Turn the heat onto low for the potatoes and give them a good mash to get rid of any lumps. Empty the mash into your mixing bowl, then flake the salmon into the bowl, discarding the skin. Add the chilli, coriander and the juice of a lemon. Add a large pinch of salt and pepper, crack in the egg and then give everything a stir together.

Lightly flour your chopping board and then tip the contents of the bowl onto the flour. Now for your 2 spare plates. Put a good layer of flour on one (about 3 dessert spoons), and lightly dust the other. Before you start making the fish cakes, you need to go and put the pan to fry the fish cakes onto a high heat and add the oil. We want this to get nice and hot, but keep an eye on it, if it starts smoking, turn it down.
This is where you have to get your hands messy! You need to roughly divide the mix on your board into 4 (4 fish cakes). Lightly dust your hands with flour and then with the mix still on your board, shape one of the quarters into fish cake shapes! Do it nice and slowly, cup your hands round the outside then squash them as if you were making burgers. Using your fish slice, carefully pick the cake up and flip over onto the plate with the layer of flour.

Using your fingertips, sprinkle more flour over the cake until covered. You should be able to pick it up now, so gently remold them into whatever shape you want. Once you've shaped the cake, pop it on your other plate. Repeat this process with the other cakes until you have 4 nice looking fish cakes. Remember to keep an eye on the oil as I don't want you burning your kitchen down!

Once you're all done, go and give your hands a good wash then take the plate of fish cakes over to the hob. If you had to turn your pan off, turn it back onto a high heat. To test that the oil is hot enough, take a little corner of one of the cakes and drop it into the oil. Be careful not to splash yourself as the oil will be very hot! If the little cube rises to the surface and starts bubbling, then it's the perfect temperature. Very carefully using a slotted spoon, lower 2 fish cakes, one at a time into the oil for 1 minute on either side. All we need to do here is crisp the outside and heat them through, as everything is already cooked. Carefully turn the cakes and they should be getting nice and crispy.

Whilst they're finishing, get another plate and put some kitchen paper on the bottom, before taking the fish cakes out and onto the paper. Repeat the process with the other two fish cakes. Just watch the oil temperature, if it starts to smoke, turn it down. Once you've cooked the second pair, remove and add them to the plate with the others and your done!

To serve, overlap them on a plate, with a little of your favourite salad and a wedge of lemon.

I hope that you enjoy it.

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