Peter Gordon's hot-smoked salmon fish cakes

Today's treat from the Thrifty Kitchen is a recipe from celebrity chef Peter Gordon: hot-smoked salmon fish cakes with dill mustard dressing. New Zealand born Peter Gordon is co-owner and Executive chef of London's Providores and Tapa room, and the author of several cookery books. He has also appeared on various TV programmes on the BBC, Discovery, Channel 4 and the Carlton Food Network.

These fish cakes are a simple, moreish favourite in the Independent Age office. Simon Bottery, director of Policy and Communications, made these for his family and said:

"They were lovely and really easy to make. If you want real thrift you could make them with tuna and not lose much. The dill dressing has unusual ingredients (I don’t think I’ve ever been asked by a recipe to mix vinegar and sugar together) but turns out brilliantly."

For another thrifty option, these fishcakes can also be made with smoked mackerel instead, for a nice smoky flavour. If you try these at home, let us know what you make of them.

Peter Gordon's hot-smoked salmon fish cakes

Makes 8 fish cakes or 20 smaller ones--allow two large ones per main course, or serve the smaller ones as a starter or chunky canape.

Ingredients:
500g/1 lb boiling potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

3 tablespoons grain mustard

2 tablespoons sugar (brown or white)

1 tablespoon vinegar (any kind)

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped dill

4 tablespoons self-raising flour (plus extra for dusting the fish cakes)

250g/9oz hot-smoked salmon, skin and bones removed

A handful of roughly-chopped parsley

Vegetable oil for cooking (or use butter and oil together)

Rocket or watercress for garnish

Instructions:

Put the potatoes and half the sliced onions in a pot and cover with cold water. Season with salt and pepper and gently boil until the potatoes are cooked. While they're cooking, mix the mustard, sugar, vinegar and dill together and put to one side. Drain the cooked potatoes in a colander - making sure as much moisture as possible is drained off. Return to the pot and mash them then mix in the flour. Flake the salmon and add this along with the remaining sliced onion and the parsley and mix it all together. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Once it's cool enough to handle, divide into either 8 or 20 fish cakes - then roll into balls. Flatten them into barrel shapes then dust generously in more flour. Heat up a pan and add 4mm oil (or a mixture of butter and oil) and when it's hot begin to cook the fish cakes. Gently flip them over when golden and cook on both sides. If you're making a lot of these it may be easier to colour them in the pan then cook on a tray lined with parchment in an oven set at 180°C/gas mark 4 until warmed through - around 5-8 minutes depending on their size.

To serve: place the fish cakes on warmed plates and garnish with the rocket, then dollop some of the dill mustard to the side.