Trout and fennel cakes with green goddess dressing

Green goddess dressing is thought to have been created in 1923 by the chef of the Palace Hotel, San Francisco, who wanted to pay tribute to the lead actor in a stage production of the same name. It pairs beautifully with just about any seafood. These bites are great for parties because you can prep the dressing and cakes ahead, and fry the cakes just before serving.

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 400 g Desiree potatoes, (about 3), peeled and chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra, for pan-frying
• 1 bulb fennel, trimmed and finely chopped, fronds reserved
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 150 g piece hot-smoked ocean trout
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tbsp milk
• plain flour, seasoned, for dusting
• 75 g (1¼ cups) Japanese breadcrumbs
• baby cos lettuce halves and lemon cheeks, to serve

Green goddess dressing

• ½ avocado
• 2 anchovies, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 30 ml sour cream
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp finely chopped chervil
• 1 tbsp finely chopped tarragon

Instructions

Cook the potato in salted boiling water until tender, then drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Add the fennel and cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Add the garlic and green onions and cook for another 1-2 minutes, then remove from the heat. 

Coarsely break the potato into a large bowl. Add the fennel, reserved chopped fennel fronds and flaked trout, then season to taste and combine well. Shape the mixture into 8 small cakes and place on a baking-paper lined tray. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. This can be done 1 day ahead.

For the green goddess sauce, place all the ingredients in a small blender and process until smooth. Season to taste, then refrigerate until needed. If making the dressing ahead, cover the surface closely with plastic wrap.

Whisk together the egg and milk and place in a shallow bowl. Place the flour and breadcrumbs in separate shallow bowls. Dust the cakes in flour, then dip in beaten egg and coat in breadcrumbs. Heat enough olive oil to cover the base of a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook the trout cakes on both sides until golden and heated through. Serve with baby cos lettuce halves, lemon cheeks and green goddess sauce.

Photographs by Benito Martin. Styling by Jerrie-Joy Redman-Lloyd. Bakelite bowl from The Country Trader; glass tumblers from Ikea; jug from Maxwell and Williams; aioli dish from Have You Met Miss Jones.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.