This recipe for salmon and sweet potato cakes is not only healthy and satisfying but it is also incredibly quick and easy to make. I made this in 35 minutes from start to finish in my thermomix but you can also make it the traditional way. Flavoured with cumin and fresh coriander these fish cakes are packed with flavour and texture.
When I feast on salmon and sweet potato cakes they remind me of the first time I ever set eyes on a sweet potato. It must have been 25 years ago and I had no idea what it was and whether it was a fruit or vegetable. Potatoes were always savoury in my mind so I couldn’t imagine a sweet one at that. I bought it out of curiosity and needless to say I overcooked it.
But what I do remember was I absolutely loved the taste! I already started conjuring up sweet potato dishes in my mind. You could only buy them in specialist fruit and vegetable stores and I wondered if it was a one-off. But I’m so glad I was wrong and now sweet potatoes have become an integral part of the diet in our household. What I love about them is they can be cooked in so many different ways: on their own (delicious with a hint of cinnamon and turmeric), as an accompaniment, as an integral ingredient of a main dish and even as a dessert. I think most people have heard of sweet potato pie!
Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes
Funnily enough, the sweet potato is not a member of the potato family but is part of the Morning Glory Family. They are starchy and sweet with almost 300 different varieties. The two best known varieties and the ones we have grown to love and taste are the yam (the orange-fleshed variety) and the white-fleshed sweet potato. They are highly antioxidant and are an excellent source of carotene. Sweet potatoes are a rich source of Vitamins B6 and C. They are high in dietary fibre and are good for diabetics, unlike other starchy vegetables. They contain a large amount of beneficial minerals such as manganese and copper.
I have always loved salmon and I’ve always loved salmon fishcakes. But most places serve them overloaded with starchy potatoes and a smidgeon of salmon. It then makes you wonder if you’re just eating a potato cake with a flavour of fish. The best way to have a delicious fishcake is to make it yourself. Sweet potato goes so well with salmon. I love the salty sweet taste when you take that first bite. It is delicious made with various spices but it goes so well with freshly grated turmeric and cumin. It also tastes delicious dipped in homemade sweet chilli sauce, with a squeeze of lime juice and served with a crunchy green salad.
Make It
To make these delicious fishcakes the first thing you need to do is remove the bones from the salmon before cooking it. This is really easy to do with a pair of tweezers as you can easily feel the bones. You can either poach or steam the salmon until it turns pale pink. The sweet potato is also steamed so you can steam both the fish and sweet potato at the same time. Bear in mind the salmon cooks faster than the sweet potato.
I like to shape mine into bite-sized portions if you’re having friends around for an informal drink or into a larger burger style shape if cooking for a main course. I lightly pan fry them and finish them in the oven.
Tip
When making the salmon and sweet potato cakes you will find the mixture is soft when forming the shapes. To avoid this, leave the mixture in the fridge for an hour or more before shaping. This helps them to avoid losing their shape when cooking.
Serve with your favourite salad, a wedge of lime and sweet chilli sauce, Full of goodness and soooooo delicious!
If you like these then you will love my recipe for skinny fish tacos.
Poach the salmon in the milk and add seasoning. Cook until light pink and cooked through. Leave to cool. Flake with a fork. Peel the sweet potato, cut into chunks and steam until tender. Place the salmon and sweet potato in a bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Mix until it all comes together. If you are not in a hurry, leave the mixture in the fridge for an hour. Shape into round cakes and dip in the flour. Pan fry in oil until golden brown. Keep warm in a low oven until serving time. Serve with a green salad, a wedge of lime and some sweet chilli sauce. Thermomix Version: Add 300g water to the thermomix bowl. Place the peeled and chopped sweet potato in the large varoma steaming basket. Lightly oil the smaller aroma basket. Place the salmon in the smaller steaming basket and place on top of the larger basket and cover with the lid. Place the varoma on the lid of the thermomix bowl and cook at spoon for 20 minutes/varoma/speed 1. Remove the salmon which should be cooked through and return the sweet potato for another 5 – 10 minutes until just cooked. Drain the water from the thermomix bowl and add the salmon, sweet potato and the remaining ingredients. Mix for 1 minute /speed 4. Scrape down the side of the bowl and mix for 20 seconds/speed 4.5. If you are not in a hurry, leave the mixture in the fridge for an hour. Arrange into round patty shapes, dip in flour and pan fry in olive oil for 3 minutes on each side. Keep them warm in the oven and serve with a green salad and some sweet chilli sauce. Enjoy! For extra spice, add some chopped fresh chilli to the mixture
Salmon and Sweet Potato Cakes
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