Hot smoked salmon fish cakes with hollandaise

There are two good reasons for using hot smoked fish rather than natural unsmoked fish in this recipe. One is that the subtle flavour of unsmoked salmon can get a bit lost in fishcakes, and the other is that hot smoked fish has already been cooked during the smoking process, so using it cuts down on some of the work. Hollandaise sauce has a reputation for being difficult, but I find this method works really well. You'll need a bowl (I use a Pyrex one) that fits snugly over a saucepan and a large, flexible whisk.

Serves two

For the fish cakes:

250g hot smoked salmon or trout
about the same amount of mashed floury potatoes (with no butter or milk added)
A good handful of flat-leaf parsley
a small squirt of tomato ketchup (optional)
salt and pepper
2 eggs, beaten
plain flour
breadcrumbs (either made from a stale white loaf or use Japanese panko breadcrumbs)

For the Hollandaise:

120g butter
2 medium egg yolks
1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

To serve

salad leaves
2 very fresh eggs for poaching (optional).

Put the mashed potatoes in a large bowl and add the salmon, discarding the skin. Finely Chop the parsley and add it to the fish and potatoes. Add the tomato ketchup, season with salt and pepper and mix well. Now shape the mixture into two large cakes about one inch thick (or four smaller cakes if you prefer). Chill the fish cakes in the fridge for half an hour to firm up if you have time.

Set your oven to 150°C

Take three shallow bowls: add flour to one, then crack two eggs into another and beat well. Add the breadcrumbs to the third.

Take each fish cake and dip it first into the flour, then the beaten egg and finally the breadcrumbs, making sure it is well coated.

Now clarify the butter for the hollandaise: melt the butter in a saucepan set over a gentle heat. Skim off any froth that has collected on the surface and pour the butter into a small jug, leaving the white sediment behind in the pan.

To cook the fish cakes, heat some vegetable oil in a large frying pan and, when hot, carefully add the fish cakes and cook for about four minutes on each side. when they are done, put them in the oven to keep warm.

Meanwhile, make the hollandaise: half fill a saucepan with water and bring it to the a gentle simmer. Separate the yolks of two eggs and put them in the Pyrex bowl, then add the vinegar and two tablespoons of warm water (from the saucepan).

Place the bowl over the pan of simmering water and beat the eggs until they thicken (they should hold a ribbon trail when the whisk is lifted). Take the pan and bowl off the heat and begin to add the clarified butter, drop by drop, whisking all the time. When the sauce is thick and all the butter has been added, squeeze in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave in a warm place (near the oven).

Now poach the eggs, if using: put the saucepan back on the heat and bring the water back to a gentle simmer. Add a tablespoon of white wine vinegar to the water. Take a clean whisk and use it to create a vortex in the water by vigorously whisking around the edge of the pan. Stop whisking and immediately pour one of the eggs into the vortex. Poach for about three minutes. Remove the egg with a slotted spoon and put on a plate. Now poach the second egg in the same way, and when it's a minute from being done put the first egg back into the water to warm up.

To serve, arrange the salad around the edges of two plates and put a fish cake in the centre of each. Remove the poached eggs from the water and place one on top of each fish cake. Whisk the hollandaise sauce and, if you think it's too thick, add a spoonful of warm water and whisk again. Spoon the hollandaise on top of the poached eggs, sprinkle with more pepper and serve.