This recipe was handed to me by my housemate Bec, she’s a super talented cook (both my housemates are – lucky me!) and once I tried these I knew I had to try and remake them so I could share them with you all. They’re heaven.

The fresh flavours make them so delicious and they’re really easy to throw together. What’s more, they’re the perfect thing to batch cook for lunches or breakfasts at the beginning of the wake. You really only need 2 (3 max) in a serve along with a spoonful of the avocado sauce and perhaps and handful or two of salad. They freeze well too and can be reheated in a pan with the lid on if you’re like me and don’t own a microwave. Yep I’ve had a microwave free kitchen for 5 years now and I don’t think I’ve missed it once. Sure they’re convenient but there’s usually another way to do what you’d do in a microwave so I don’t really have a need for one.

But back to the Salmon and Potato Cakes: You can also add a clove or two of grated garlic to these if it takes your fancy. If you don’t have sourdough bread crumbs just use what you’e got. I just find sourdough easier to suggest and more flavoursome than store bought bread crumbs but any sort will do the job of helping bind things together. Use gluten free bread if that’s your need.

Baking the salmon in the oven is such an easy way of cooking it and perfect if you’re batch cooking as you can serve it in a variety of ways, flaked into patties like this, mixed through pasta or salad or with eggs at breakfast. Sometimes when i cook it like this the skin sort of melts into it and flakes along with the salmon. if it is thicker and doesn’t do this i just roughly chop it and mix it through as it is filled with omega 3 fatty acids which are super good for your body and brain. And I usually give a little to my cat Chino because he is a spoilt brat who is obsessed with salmon.

Makes 12

Ingredients

1kg desiree potatoes, washed and quartered (skin on)

600g salmon, skin on

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 zucchini, grated

1 cup dill, finely chopped

1 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

1 cup spring onion, finely sliced

1 cup coarse sourdough bread crumbs (chuck the ends of a loaf in your food processor and blitz)

2 eggs

Avocado Sauce

1 large Avocado (or 2 small)

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

1 Tbs dill

1 Tbs flat leaf parsley

1 Tbs spring onion

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius.

Place potatoes in a medium pot and just cover with water, season with a generous pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Simmer for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Drain, roughly mash and set aside.

Meanwhile place salmon fillet in an oven proof dish and season with salt and pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until just cooked through and easy to flake. Flake Salmon and add to a very large bowl along with the potato.

Make the avocado sauce by blending all ingredients until smooth in a food processor. Add 50mls of water to create a spreadable sauce consistency. Set aside.

Squeeze the excess moisture from the zucchini and add to the potato and salmon mix along with the herbs, spring onion, lemon juice and zest and salt. When the potato and salmon are cool enough to handle add the eggs and breadcrumbs and use your hands to mix everything together.

Once mixed well form into tennis ball sized balls.

Heat a large heavy based fry pan on medium high heat and add a little oil to just coat the base of the pan. Cook the potato cakes in batches, gently pressing the balls between your hands to flatten before placing in the pan to cook. Cook for 4 minutes on each side or until golden. You can keep warm in the oven while you finish cooking your second batch.

Serve with the avocado sauce on the side or spread on your plate.

HH. x