Salmon Fish Cakes with Dill and Spinach Sauce

Homemade fish cakes are so much better than the store bought ones. Give these a try and you'll never go back.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 500  g potatoes, peeled and rinsed
•  salt
• 350  g salmon fillets
• 1⁄4  chicken stock cube
• 1  bay leaf
• 1  tablespoon tomato ketchup
• 1  teaspoon  anchovy essence (optional)
•  pepper
• 20  g butter
• 20  g flour, plus extra for dusting
• 100  ml milk
• 100  g  young  spinach leaves
• 2  tablespoons  chopped dill leaves
• 2  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 1  lemon

Directions

1. Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender.
2. Drain, return to the pan and mash thoroughly without milk, butter or water.
3. Tip the mash into a mixing bowl.
4. Meanwhile, place the salmon in a suitable pan and cover with 300ml water.
5. Crumble in the stock cube and add the bay leaf.
6. Bring the water to the boil, reduce the heat and cook the fish for five minutes a side (10 minutes if the fish is totally immersed).
7. Turn off the heat, cover the pan and leave for five minutes.
8. Add half the fish (keep the stock to use later), the tomato ketchup and anchovy essence (if desired) to the potato.
9. Season generously with pepper and lightly with salt.
10. Mix thoroughly until smooth.
11. Now flake the remaining fish and fold through the mixture.
12. Form handfuls into eight regular-sized fish cakes or sausages, or 12 smaller ones, laying the fish cakes on a plate as you go.
13. Chill to firm for at least 15 minutes and up to 24 hours (covered with clingfilm) in the fridge while you make the sauce.
14. Melt the butter and stir in the flour until smooth.
15. Discard the bay leaf and gradually add the hot fish stock, stirring constantly, as the sauce comes up to the boil to avoid lumps.
16. Add the milk and cream.
17. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for five minutes.
18. Shred the spinach.
19. Stir spinach and dill into the thick, creamy sauce.
20. Cook for a few minutes until the spinach wilts.
21. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
22. Preheat the oven to 400F or 200 degrees C.
23. Oil a baking sheet.
24. Dust the fish cakes with flour, shaking off any excess.
25. Heat the oil in a frying pan and, when very hot, fry the fish cakes for about five minutes a side until nicely crusty.
26. Transfer to the baking sheet and cook in the oven for 10 minutes.
27. Reheat the sauce and serve with the fish cakes, adding a wedge of lemon.