These fritters are a great way to get more wild salmon into your diet. In New Zealand most of our fresh salmon is farmed. So I prefer to use tinned salmon which is wild salmon, a good source of omega three and the fish are able to swim free, eat their natural diet and aquire good muscle growth. Here I am teaming the salmon fritters with a fresh clean cucumber salsa and a rich walnut and verjuice pesto.

Ingredients for the fritters.

• 1 small tin of wild salmon.
• 1 heaped tabespoon of coconut flour.
• 2 eggs.
• 1 large courgette.
• 1  bunch of fresh herbs, I am using parsley and sage.
  

  

  

  

  Grate the courgette and let it sit a bowl with 1 teaspoon of salt to draw out some of the liquid. After 15 or so minutes empty it onto a clean cloth and squeeze out as much water as you can, you want the courgette to be quite dry.

  

  

  Remove the stems from the herbs and chop finely.

  

  

  

  Drain the liquid from the tin of salmon and add the rest to a bowl, I like to use all of the salmon including the skin and bones which are rich in calcium. If you can’t bare the idea of using the bones then remove them.  Smash with a fork and add the eggs, coconut flour and chopped herbs.

  

  

  

  Add the squeezed courgette and stir to combine, you shouldn’t need to add any extra salt into the mixture. Let the mixture sit for a little while so the coconut flour can absorb any liquid. Form into fritter shapes, either with a former as I am using or just make rough shapes with your hands, there will be 6 large fritters. In a frying pan melt some coconut oil or duck fat if you have it to fry the fritters.

  

  

  Fry gently until browned and then carefully turn over, they are a bit delicate until completely cooked.

Ingredients for the cucumber and preserved lemon salsa.

• 2 small or one large cucumber.
• 1/2 a preserved lemon, rinse away the flesh of the lemon, you only want the skin.
• 1 bunch of mint.
  

  

  

  Peel the cucumbers and dice into little cubes, finely chop the mint and the preserved lemon.

  

Add everything to a serving bowl and stir to combine. No need to add any extra salt as the preserved lemons are very salty, also I don’t add any oil as I like this salsa to be very clean tasting and the pesto and fritters are both oily.

Ingredients for the walnut and verjuice pesto.

• 2 tablespoons of verjuice, if you dont have verjuice you can use Apple cider vinegar.
• 1/2 cup of good olive oil. I am using Weka olive oil grown here in Nelson.
• 1/2 cup of walnuts.
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
• 1 very large bunch of herbs, either basil or parsley or a combination of both as I am using.
  

  

  

  Remove the stems from the herbs and put everything into a whiz and blend until just a little bit lumpy.

This pesto is great with so many things and you will have plenty left over for another day, keep it in a jar in the refrigerator and cover with extra olive oil to keep the air out. It will keep for weeks if a layer of olive oil is kept on top.Serve the crispy fritters with a large helping of the cucumber salsa topped with some of the pesto.