It’s good to know that Brussels sprouts rank highest among the cruciferous vegetables in glucosinolates – chemicals that protect against cancer.
SERVES 2
Ingredients
1 potato (170g/5¾oz), any type, scrubbed
2 wild Alaskan salmon fillets (130g/4¾oz each)
2 tsp sumac
1 slice wholemeal bread
1 ripe small avocado
zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp chopped parsley
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 garlic clove, grated
1 tbsp olive oil
For the greens
1 tbsp olive oil
100g (3½oz) fine green beans, cut into thirds
100g (3½oz) Brussels sprouts, shredded
100g (3½oz) kale, shredded
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Chop the potato into even chunks, and place them in a pan of water over a high heat. Bring the water to the boil and cook the potato for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, put the salmon fillets skin-side down on a baking tray and sprinkle with sumac, rubbing the spice into the fish. Bake the fillets in the oven for 12–15 minutes until cooked through and the flesh is opaque. Then, set aside to cool a little.
2 Toast the bread in the warm oven for 3–4 minutes and set aside. Meanwhile, put the avocado flesh, lemon zest (keep the lemon to serve), chopped parsley, and some black pepper into a mixing bowl. Mash everything together. When the potatoes are soft enough, drain and mash them, then add them to the avocado mix.
3 Remove the skin from the salmon and flake the flesh into the mixture. With damp hands, divide the mixture into four, shaping it into even-sized patties. Then, set aside.
4 Blitz the toast into fine breadcrumbs in a food processor. Mix them with the grated garlic, then coat the fishcakes with the mixture, pressing it into the patties on all sides. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the fish cakes for 3 minutes on each side (cover with a lid for last minutes), so they are golden brown.
5 For the greens, heat the oil in a wok and, when hot, add the green beans and sprouts. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, so they start to colour, then add the kale. Stir-fry for a further 2 minutes, then add the garlic and season with pepper. Serve with the fishcakes and lemon wedges.
NUTRITION PER SERVING Calories 603 Total fat 36.7g Saturated fat 6.9g Carbohydrates 31.4g Dietary fibre 13.6g Sugars 5g Protein 38.1g Salt 0.5g
Smart swaps
• Swap the salmon for haddock or any other white fish fillets. They may have less omega-3 fats, but they have 16 times more iodine, vital for cognitive function.
• Use spinach leaves (big leaves are best rather than baby leaf spinach) if you can’t get hold of sprouts. Both are rich in eye-friendly lutein and zeaxanthin; in fact, spinach has seven times more.
NUTRIENT KNOW-HOW
Salmon is rich in selenium, and Brussels sprouts and kale contain sulforaphane. Research shows these nutrients are 13 times more effective at fighting cancer when combined than they are individually.