Salmon cakes with chimichurri

Salmon cakes

• 1⁄2 pound (250 g) floury potatoes, peeled and halved
• 2 scallions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
• Handful of rocket, coarsely chopped
• 1⁄2 bunch of chives, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 egg, beaten
• One 6-ounce (170 g) tin of salmon, drained
• Sunflower oil, for frying
• Flour, for dusting
• 1⁄2 lime

Avocado spread

• 1 avocado, stoned and flesh removed
• 1⁄2 shallot, finely diced
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Chimichurri

• 1⁄2 red chile, seeded
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 shallot, halved
• 1⁄4-inch (3 cm) piece of ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 bunch of mint, leaves only
• 1 bunch of coriander
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

1. To make the salmon cakes: Boil the potatoes in plenty of salted water until done, approximately 15 minutes. Drain and leave to cool. Roughly mash them before mixing in the scallion, arugula, chives, and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Lastly, add the egg and the salmon, and mash with a fork until everything comes together in a coarse mixture. 
2. Shape the potato-salmon mixture into balls that fit in the palm of your hand, then flatten them until they are between 1⁄2 and 3⁄4 inch thick. Leave the cakes to firm up in the fridge for 30 minutes.
3. To make the spread: Mash the avocado with the shallot, lemon juice, and some olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Set the spread aside.
4. To make the chimichurri: Purée all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Add extra olive oil if the sauce is too thick. Set aside.
5. Heat a splash of sunflower oil in a thick-bottomed frying pan over medium heat. Dust the salmon cakes with a bit of flour and fry them for 3 minutes, until golden brown. Carefully flip them over with a spatula and fry on the other side for 3 more minutes. The cakes should be nice and hot inside. Lift them out of the pan with a slotted turner and onto paper towels. (You can also keep them warm in the oven until all portions are cooked, if you prefer.) Serve the salmon cakes with the avocado spread, chimichurri, and lime.

Credit Line: Recipe from The Tinned Fish Cookbook: Easy-to-Make Meals from Ocean to Plate—Sustainably Canned, 100% Delicious © Bart van Olphen 2019, 2020. Translation © The Experiment, 2020. Reprinted by permission of The Experiment. Available wherever books are sold. experimentpublishing.com.

Photo credit: David Loftus.