2 pounds red skin potatoes, peeled
4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon lemon juice
¾ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 egg yolk
1½ pound salmon fillet, poached and chilled
½ cup all-purpose flour plus flour for dusting
2 cups white bread crumbs or panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs)
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups peanut oil, for deep frying Fried parsley, for garnish (optional) Fresh tomato sauce (optional)
1. Cover the potatoes with cold water in a 6-quart pot, and bring the water to a boil. Cook for 18 minutes, or until tender, drain the potatoes, and return them to the pot. Mash the potatoes until smooth, and add the parsley, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and egg yolk. Flake the salmon, and fold into the potato mixture, mixing gently. Allow the mixture to cool for at least 1 hour, or overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Dust your work surface with a little flour, less than a tablespoon, and shape the fishcakes into even-size balls. Form into neat cakes by pressing down gently with a spatula. Each cake should be about 2½ inches by 1 inch.
3. Put the flour, bread crumbs, and eggs in three separate bowls lined up in a row. First dredge the salmon cakes in the flour, shaking off the excess. Then dip them into the beaten egg, and then roll them in the bread crumbs. Place the fishcakes on a clean dish and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
4. Add the peanut oil to a deep saucepan, and heat until hot but not smoking. Deep-fry the salmon cakes, a few at a time without crowding the pan, until golden brown on both sides. Lift out of the pan, gently blot onto a paper towel, and serve immediately with fried parsley (directions on page 129) and fresh tomato sauce if desired.
MAKES 12 CAKES OR 6 SERVINGS
A royal breakfast: (from left to right) Curried Salmon Kedegree, Poached Eggs en Croûte, Salmon Fishcakes with tomato sauce