Fish Patties with Spinach

° Serves 4

It is important to use fresh bread crumbs to coat these fish patties, which are sometimes called croquettes or fish burgers. Two slices of sandwich bread (I like Pepperidge Farm) will give you 1¼ cups fresh bread crumbs. (Dried slices of bread would give you only about ⅓ cup of finer, more powdery crumbs.) Most fish fillets will work well with this simple spinach accompaniment, which I use as a garnish for poultry or meat as well as fish.

• Fish Patties
• 2 slices bread
• 12 ounces fish fillets, cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces
• ½ cup chopped (1-inch pieces) onion
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons potato starch
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil or other oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons chopped chives
• Spinach
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1½ teaspoons chopped garlic
• One 9-ounce bag baby spinach, cleaned (about 10 cups)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Prepare the fish patties: Place the bread slices in a food processor and process to crumbs. (You will have 1½ cups.) Transfer the crumbs to a bowl.

Add the fish, onion, egg, potato starch, cream, salt, and pepper to the processor bowl and process for 10 seconds. Clean the sides of the bowl and process for another 15 to 20 seconds, until the ingredients are well combined and smooth. Stir in the chives.

Spread the bread crumbs on a cutting board. Divide the fish mixture into quarters and arrange on top of the bread crumbs. Wet your hands and press on the fish mounds to shape them into patties 3 to 4 inches in diameter and ¾ inch thick. Turn the patties so both sides are well coated with the bread crumbs. Refrigerate the patties until ready to cook.

To cook the fish, heat the peanut oil and butter in a large skillet until hot. Add the 4 patties and cook over high heat for about 3 minutes. Turn the patties over and cook for another 2 minutes on the second side. Transfer to individual plates and sprinkle with chives.

Prepare the spinach: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet for about 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook for 10 to 15 seconds. Pile the spinach in the pan and cover with a lid. Cook, turning the spinach occasionally with tongs, for 2 to 3 minutes, until all the spinach is soft. Add the salt and pepper, mix well, and serve alongside the fish patties.