Big Chop, Big Flavor

When making salmon cakes, particularly when using only a few key ingredients, the secret is to dice the fish in a variety of sizes.   A relatively fine chop will bind the cake and will ensure the patty shape survives cooking and flipping, while broader cubes, pictured below, delight the palate with pure salmon richness:

Both sizes are necessary to give the salmon its rightful place as the lead flavor.  Important when so few ingredients are used, as each flavor asserts itself.  Best the salmon keeps the others in balance.  As you may have guessed, this is one the recipes chef Jamie  Oliver features in  his cookbook highlighting “five ingredient” (more or less) preparations.  In turn, Fine Cooking showcased the meal in its August/September 2019 issue.

As these are Asian Fishcakes, the other items on the prep list provide unmistakably Eastern flavors, including vibrant lemongrass, assertive ginger and cooling cilantro.  These are finely diced along with some of the salmon, to make a filling that will hold the larger pieces of fish.  Here’s the binder, awaiting the big fish:

Once the mixture is prepared, it’s formed into cakes, then the cakes are pan-seared to seal in the juices behind a slightly browned crust.  Finally, each is topped with a dollop of hot-sweet pepper jelly:

This compliments the  flavors within, as both hot and sweet profiles find partners among the ingredients, and they help tame the fish’s richness ever so slightly.  Above all, though, it’s chopping of varying coarseness that makes this work: fine for formation, big and bold for the win!

*****

Quick Asian Fishcakes

• one stick lemongrass
• 2 and 1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger
• half a bunch of fresh cilantro
• 1 pounds salmon filets, skinless and boned
• salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 teaspoons chili jam

Remove the tough outer layer of the lemongrass, then finely chop it, along with the ginger and 2/3 the cilantro.

Cut the salmon into 1/2-inch pieces, and set aside half.  Add the other half to the herb mix on your cutting board, and chop the fish finely, incorporating in into the herbs.  Mix in the more coarsely-chopped salmon you set aside earlier, and season with salt.

Divide into four equal portions and form each into a 3/4-inch thick patty.  Place a skillet over a medium-high flame and pour in the olive oil.  Place the patties in the skillet and cook two minutes per side.

Spoon the chili jam over the fish cakes and garnish with the remaining cilantro.

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