Braised Baby Lettuce
If you aren't sold on the idea of salad, you can cook your lettuce. This speedy cooking method keeps the lettuce quite crisp and it is a good side dish with a Chinese-style meal.
Fish and Potato Cakes
These are a great way to use up leftover mashed potato and slightly dry bread. Any leftover cakes can be taken for lunch the following day.
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Ingredients
- 3-4 medium-sized floury potatoes, peeled and cut into even-sized pieces (or leftover mashed potato)
- 50g butter
- 420g canned salmon or 500g fresh boned salmon that has been lightly poached
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 cups breadcrumbs (made from slightly stale bread)
- ½ cup plain flour
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten or use 1 egg and a little milk
- Oil for shallow frying
Method
- Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and dry off over the heat, mash and add the butter. If you are using leftover mashed potato, start at the next step.
- Flake the fish and add to the potatoes with the parsley and lemon juice. Taste mixture before seasoning well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Shape the mixture into 8 flattish cakes by patting gently with your hands. The cakes can now be placed on a large plate, covered and refrigerated until ready to crumb and cook or left overnight if you want to make a day ahead.
- Place the breadcrumbs on a flat plate, the flour on another and the egg in a shallow bowl.
- Coat the fish and potato cakes in the flour, dusting off excess, then coat with the egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Pat the breadcrumbs on well so the cakes are evenly coated in crumbs.
- One-third fill a deep large frying pan with oil. Place over a medium heat and heat until the oil starts to sizzle when you drop a few crumbs into it.
- Shallow fry the fish and potato cakes (in 2 batches) turning once to brown on both sides. Place on a crumpled paper towel to drain.
- Serve fish and potato cakes with your favourite chutney or sauce and a salad.