Cupboard Love

During this cold spell I have been virtually living from my freezer and storecupboard. My grandmother always instilled in me the need to stock up for hard times and her larder was always fit-to-burst with bottled fruits, jams, canned meats and pickles. She also always had a can or two of salmon..in those days, the 50’s, something of a treat! Often it would be used in a salad but sometimes in a special sandwich filling or fishcake. I was reminded of this when thinking of a midweek meal to make as snow has lingered on the ground…and so I made some  salmon fishcakes but I flavoured them with a curry mixture to make them especially warming. They are especially nutritious for all bariatric patients since they are superbly high in protein. Serve with naan bread if liked.

WILD ALASKA TIKKA PATTIES WITH CUCUMBER RAITA

Ingredients

Fry Light cooking spray

1 x 416g or 2 x 213g cans red or pink wild Alaska salmon

50g basmati rice

1 large carrot, grated

1 large courgette, grated

1 small onion, finely chopped

75g  fresh breadcrumbs

2 tbsp tikka masala curry paste

1 large egg, beaten

2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Raita:

150g low-fat natural yogurt

1/4 cucumber, finely chopped

2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

Method

1.  Preheat the oven to 200 C/gas mark 6. Spray a large baking sheet with Fry Light.

2.  Drain the canned salmon, discarding the liquid. Remove any skin and bones then break into small chunks.

3.  Cook the rice in lightly salted boiling water for 10-12 minutes, until tender. Rinse with cold water and drain well.

4.  Mix the carrot with the courgette, rice, onion, breadcrumbs, curry paste, egg and coriander. Season to taste with salt and pepper then stir in the chunks of salmon.

5.  Form the mixture into 8 patties and place on the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.

6.  Meanwhile, to make the raita, mix the yogurt with the cucumber and coriander. Serve the salmon patties with the raita and naan bread if liked.

SERVES 4

WLS PORTION: 1/2

CALORIES:  333

PROTEIN:  25.9g

CARBOHYDRATE:  31.3g

FAT:  11.9g

Image courtesy of  The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute