Middle Eastern Alaska Fish Cakes with Green Tahini Sauce

Directions Print

1. Prepare green tahini sauce
   Put the parsley, cilantro, and mint in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the tahini paste, lemon juice, salt, and 1 tbsp. of water until smooth. Continue blending, adding water 1 tbsp. at a time, until the desired consistency is reached (it should be thin enough to drizzle but not watery). Set aside (can be made up to a few days ahead and refrigerated, but will thicken, so bring to room temperature and stir in a little more water as needed before serving).
2. Prepare fish cakes
   Rinse out the food processor. Add the cilantro, parsley, mint, and garlic and pulse until finely chopped. Add the fish, lemon zest, cumin, and salt and pulse until roughly chopped and combined (you want it to be well mixed but not a smooth paste). Form into 1 1/2-inch patties.

   Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the patties, working in batches if necessary, and fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until lightly browned and cooked through. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate as they finish cooking.

3. Serve the fish cakes as a starter with the green tahini sauce drizzled over or on the side for dipping. To make it a full meal, serve with a grain like barley or freekah and a simple salad of chopped tomato and cucumber.