Salmon & Sweet Potato Cakes

Taken from Savour the Pacific: A Discovery of Taste by Annabel Langbein.

Salmon & Sweet Potato Cakes

Prepare: 10 Minutes; Cook: 6-8 Minutes (per batch); Makes 12 patties.

"These delicate patties combine grated par-cooked sweet potato with fresh salmon. Chop the fish finely, otherwise the patties tend to fall apart on cooking."

Ingredients:

1 medium sized kumara or other sweet potato (about 175g/6 oz)
250g (9 oz.) fresh salmon, finely chopped into 1 cm (1/3 inch) pieces
1 egg white, lightly beaten
grated rind of 1/2 lime or lemon (no pith)
1 tbsp finely sliced spring onion
salt & freshly ground black pepper
about 2 tbsp rice flour or plain flour to lightly coat
3-4 tbsp of oil


[My modifications: I used canned salmon instead of fresh; thus, 2 standard cans are required. I also used panko bread crumbs instead of the rice/plain flour, scallions in place of the spring onion, and coconut oil for the 3-4 tbsp asked for.]

Directions:

Peel & cut kumara or sweet potato into large chunks and boil in salted water for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine salmon with egg white, lime or lemon rind, spring onion, and salt and pepper.

Drain and cool kumara, then grate coarsely and mix into the salmon. Form mixture into large walnut-sized balls, roll in flour to lightly coat. Flatten to form patties.

[Be careful not to overcook the sweet potatoes. I let mine go a little too long which made them soft and a little difficult to grate. Also, I added the panko bread crumbs directly to the mixture as opposed to rolling the patties in it. This technique worked just as well.]

Heat oil in a heavy frypan and fry patties, in batches, over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until golden and crusty on the base, then turn carefully to cook and brown other side. Place cooked patties on paper towels to remove excess oil.

Cook's note: These little savoury patties re-heat well. Place on a baking tray in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes.

These patties were unbelievably delicious. I added additional spices, such as Sazzon Tropical, to enhance my favorite flavor profiles. They were quick and easy to make. We ate them plain, but you could easily make them as sliders or in place of hamburgers, just increase or decrease the size of each patty. Good luck!