Salmon patties are an easy family favourite, and this delicious loaf is a grown-up version using ingredients that go well with salmon.
- L/D Lunch/Dinner
- DF Dairy free
- GF Gluten free
- HH Heart-healthy
- Prep time 40 mins
- Cook Time 60 mins
- Serves 4-6
- Difficulty medium
Method
- First, prepare the herb-nut crust. Place all crust ingredients except olive oil in a food processor. Process until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Set aside.
- For the loaf, preheat oven to 180°C and line a loaf tin with baking paper.
- Drain salmon, place in a large bowl and mash with a fork, ensuring all bones (an excellent source of calcium) are mashed. Add carrot and zucchini to salmon. Grate the parsnip (if a large parsnip, cut in quarters lengthwise and cut out woody core).
- Heat a frying pan to low medium, add olive oil. Cook parsnip and red onion for about 5 minutes, until onion is soft and parsnip slightly browned.
- Add onion-parsnip mixture and parsley to bowl, mix to combine. Mix in the ground nuts. Beat eggs, add to bowl, season with salt and pepper and mix well to combine.
- Press firmly into loaf with hands.
- Spread herb-nut crust over the top evenly, pressing it into the loaf. Drizzle with a little olive oil.
- Cook for 1 hour, covering with foil for last 20-30 minutes to prevent crust from burning.
- Allow to cool slightly and firm before removing from tin to serve.
- Finally, for the fennel slaw, finely slice fennel and kohlrabi (or brussels sprouts). Place in a bowl with parsley.
- Put oil, lemon, vinegar and salt and pepper in a jar, shake well to combine. Pour dressing over the slaw vegetables, toss to combine, and serve on the side of the salmon loaf.
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Nutritional information
By Jean Hailes naturopath and herbalist Sandra Villella
This dish combines many of the dietary recommendations for prevention of cardiovascular disease; eat more vegetables and fruit, eat fish 2-3 times per week, a serve of nuts daily and increase good oils such as olive oil, while decreasing saturated fats and avoiding trans fatty acids.
Fresh fish is not always accessible, so canned salmon is an ideal option, rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Flat-leaf parsley features heavily in these dishes, and is rich in minerals such as calcium and iron. In these quantities, it also counts as a serve of a green leafy vegetable.
As this loaf is gluten free, it needs more eggs to bind the mixture. You can experiment by swapping the ground nuts for a cup of cooked brown rice or raw oats and reducing the eggs to 2.
The slaw of typically winter vegetables includes kohlrabi, which is a less well-known member of the Brassica family.
Regular serves of Brassicas are associated with reduced risks of cancers, including breast cancer. Brussels sprouts are also part of the Brassica family so if kohlrabi is unavailable, this a very tasty way to eat Brussels sprouts. It's worth a try, especially if they are not usually a vegetable of choice.
