Sweet potato and salmon patties

A can of good salmon in the cupboard is what stands between a real dinner and skipping the meal entirely on the nights your energy is gone by 5pm. These patties take under 20 minutes start to finish, no eggs required, since a tapioca-and-water slurry does the binding instead.

Canned salmon keeps its omega-3s and selenium intact from the fresh fish it started as, so this is not a lesser version nutritionally. The sweet potato is the reason this dish has any beta-carotene at all, the orange pigment your body works with to keep mucosal tissue, the kind of lining autoimmune conditions tend to wear thin, in better repair.

Choose a canned salmon that lists nothing but fish and salt, wild-caught if the label says so, and let it register as a genuinely good thing that food this nourishing survives on a shelf for months without losing much of value. Shape the patties without pressing them too firm, fry them without crowding the pan, and put them next to a crisp green salad so the plate reads as a full dinner even on the nights cooking barely happened.

Ingredients

• 1 can wild salmon, boneless and skinless (150 g / 5 oz)
• 1/2 cup cooked white sweet potato, mashed
• 2 tablespoons green onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil (for the mixture)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon tapioca starch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Coconut oil for frying

Method

In a small bowl, combine the tapioca starch and water. Stir until smooth. This slurry acts as a binder in place of egg.

Drain and flake the canned salmon into a mixing bowl. Add the mashed sweet potato, green onion, 1 tablespoon coconut oil, salt, and the tapioca slurry. Mix until everything is evenly combined and the mixture holds together. If it feels too wet, refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm up slightly.

Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions. Shape each into a flat patty roughly 1.5 to 2 cm thick.

Heat enough coconut oil to coat the bottom of a skillet over medium heat. Add the patties without crowding the pan. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Use a thin spatula and flip carefully.

Serve warm with a crisp green salad or an AIP-compliant dipping sauce such as a garlic and herb avocado mash.

Air fryer variation

Brush each formed patty lightly with coconut oil on both sides. Preheat the air fryer to 375 F (190 C). Cook the patties for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping once at the halfway point. The exterior will be golden and slightly crisp, the interior tender and moist.

*Adapted from lichenpaleolovingaip.com*

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