Passover Recipes: Salmon & Tilapia Cakes and Cauliflower Popcorn

Continuing with our Passover recipe listing, we have a great gefilte fish alternative. My mother-in-law picked this recipe and I'm so glad she did! The Salmon and Tilapia Cakes were supposed to be Salmon and Whitefish Cakes, but we just used what we had. I don't think there would have been that much of a flavor difference if we had used pike (whitefish) anyways! Be generous with the seasoning on this one, as the cakes themselves can be a little bland without salt or the sauce. However, they are fresh-tasting and light, a great compliment to a seder and delicious as a cold lunch the next day!

Salmon & Tilapia Cakes with Horseradish Cucumber Sauce
adapted from Epicurious.com

Ingredients:
Sauce:
1 cup finely chopped unpeeled cucumber
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons prepared white horseradish
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

Fish cakes:
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for frying fish cakes
3 medium carrots, peeled, finely chopped
1 2/3 cups finely chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons unsalted matzo meal
1 3/4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
18 ounces skinless whitefish fillets, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 9-ounce skinless salmon fillet, cut into 1-inch cubes
Lemon wedges
Fresh parsley sprigs

Instructions:
For sauce:
Stir cucumber, mayonnaise, horseradish, parsley, and chives in medium bowl to blend. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

For fish cakes:
Line large rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add carrots and leeks. Saut&#;233 until soft but not brown, about 15 minutes. Cool in skillet.

Beat eggs, matzo meal, coarse salt, and white pepper in large bowl to blend. Stir in carrot mixture. Place whitefish and salmon cubes in processor. Using on/off turns, chop fish to coarse paste (small pieces of fish will remain). Stir fish into matzo meal mixture.

Using wet hands and about 1/3 cup for each, shape fish mixture into sixteen 1/2-inch-thick cakes. Arrange on prepared baking sheet. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic and chill.

Add enough oil to 2 heavy large skillets to coat bottom. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add 8 fish cakes to each skillet. Sauté until golden and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Transfer to another baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate. Rewarm uncovered in 350°F oven 10 minutes.

Arrange 2 fish cakes on each plate. Spoon sauce over or alongside. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley.

Cauliflower Popcorn
adapted from Kosher by Design Entertains


This is a great vegetable side dish! It's called "popcorn" because of the color and the fact that you just want to keep sneaking little pieces into your mouth all night long. Very easy to make, this is a Shabbat dinner favorite amongst the "Kosher by Design" cookbook fiends. You know who you are!

Ingredients:
2 heads cauliflower, cut head into medium sized florets and discard stems
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 - 1/2 tsp tumeric
6 - 8 TBS olive oil

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 450 and line a jelly roll pan or baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a very large bowl, combine the salt, sugar, spices and oil. Add cauliflower florets and toss to evenly coat.
Place in a single layer on the prepared sheet and roast, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes until the largest piece can be pierced with a fork. If the tops are starting to get too brown, toss the cauliflower during the baking process.