Serves 4 as a starter, or 2 as a main course, takes 25 minutes.
We used to serve smoked salmon with potato cakes, then discovered this recipe. They’re light and fluffy, fresh and green; and combined with the salmon and crème fraiche, they make for quite a posh starter, or a very satisfying weekday dinner
200g frozen peas, defrosted
2 heaped tbspns fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
1 medium egg
50g plain flour
1 tbspn yoghurt or crème fraiche
half tsp baking powder (two measures of cream of tartar to one of bicarbonate of soda)
Oil for frying
100ml crème fraiche, can be full or half fat
Finely grated zest of 1 lime plus lemon and/or lime slices to garnish
140g smoked salmon
50g watercress or rocket
- Add the grated lime zest to the creme fraiche
- Whiz peas and mint in a food processor till finely chopped. Add egg, flour, yoghurt and baking powder and season. Whiz again till ingredients are well combined
- Heat a large, preferably non – stick frying pan and add a tbsp of oil
- If four of you are having this as a starter:-
- Place dessertpoons of the pea mixture in the hot oil and press down with the back of the spoon to flatten, so they’re about 3 inches in diameter, and no more than half an inch thick. Fry for 2 – 3 minutes then turn, and cook for a further 2 – 3 minutes. They should be golden brown. Keep them warm in a low oven while you make the remainder, until you have 12 fritters. Place a fritter on a serving plate, and top with a little crème fraiche, and a few strips of salmon.
- Place another fritter on top, and some more crème fraiche and salmon, then another fritter on top of that, finished with more crème fraiche.
- Garnish with watercress, and/or rocket, freshly ground black pepper and lemon and/or lime wedges. Can be served with some finely sliced cooked beetroot
- If two of you are having this as a main course:-
- Place 1-2 generous tablespoons of the pea mixture in the hot oil, flattening them till they’re 4 to 5 inches in length (ours usually turn out elliptically) and about an inch thick. Fry for about 5 minutes a side, keeping warm in the oven until you have 4. Fit there’s some mixture left over, it freezes well
- Place a fritter on a serving plate and top with a little crème fraiche and a few strips of salmon. Place another fritter on top, and finish with a little more crème fraiche and salmon.
- Garnish with watercress, and/or rocket, freshly ground black pepper and lemon and/or lime wedges. Can be served with some finely sliced cooked beetroot