Ingredients
Serves 4-6 (Makes 18)2 free-range eggs
2 potatoes, peeled
1 x 150g salmon filets, skin removed and pin-boned (or use tin salmon)
Table salt and freshly ground white pepper
2 tbsp chopped chervil
2 tbsp chopped dill
60 ml milk
75 g plain flour
75 g fresh breadcrumbs
90 ml vegetable or olive oil
Gribache Sauce
1 free-range egg
200 ml basic vinaigrette
4 gherkins, finely chopped
50 g salted capers, rinsed, drained and finely chopped
⅓ cup flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
⅓ cup dill, finely chopped
Sea salt flakes and freshly ground white pepper
Method
Hard boil the egg for the gribiche sauce and 1 of the eggs for the fish cakes in a pan of simmering water for 9 minutes. Cool, the shell both eggs. For the Gribiche sauce, place the vinaigrette in a bowl then add the gherkin, capers, parsley and dill. Coarsely grate 1 of the boiled eggs into the sauce. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside. Makes about 250mls.
Put the potatoes into a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain, then roughly mash and set aside.
Steam the fish in a double boiler or a steamer basket over a pan of simmering water for 4 minutes. Cool and flake. Set aside.
Mash the reserved boil egg with a fork. Add the fish and the mashed egg to the potato and season with salt and pepper. Add the chervil and dill and mix lightly. Form the mixture into eighteen 5cm x 1.5cm croquettes.
Lightly whisk the remaining egg and milk together in a shallow bowl then place the flour and the breadcrumbs in separate flat bowls. Working in batches, coat the croquettes firstly in the flour, gently tapping or shaking to remove any excess, then dip into the egg mixture and drain and then finally roll in the breadcrumbs. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a heavy-based non-stick frying and working in batches shallow-fry the croquettes over medium heat turning until golden all over. Remove and drain on paper towel. Serve the hot and crisp croquettes immediately with a bowl of the gribiche sauce.
Notes
I love a nice fish cake or croquette, all crisp on the outside and soft in the centre. Fish cakes are a great way of using up little bits of fish or you can use the same quantity of tinned fish or smoked fish such as trout or salmon instead. Substitute chicken for fish to use up all those little bits of meat left on the carcass after the Sunday roast.
The croquettes can be deep-fried at 165°C or shallow-fried if you prefer. The prepared croquettes can be placed in an airtight container and popped in the freezer for up to three months. They retain their shape well when thawed as long as you keep them nice and separate in the container. If the crumb coating has softened a little, roll them in fresh breadcrumbs before frying.
Store leftover gribiche sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. As it contains lots of fresh herbs it will lose some of its colour. It works well with ingredients with big flavours such as smoked fish, bacon, terrines, grilled meats and even chunky potato wedges.
If you like the flavours of gribiche sauce try transforming them into something more like a salad. Poach the egg, tear the herbs rather than chop them and add some diced boiled potato then finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil – it will look (and taste) beautiful.