Sideplates: Dill

By The Newsroom
Published 9th Aug 2010, 12:21 BST
Updated 15th Aug 2010, 16:49 BST
Dill is a member of the parsley family and has had medicinal and culinary uses for thousands of years.

Salmon Dill Cakes

450g salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 2cm chunks; marinade - 1 tsp sugar; tbsp baking powder; 1 tsp cornflour; 1 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tbsp corn oil; 1 egg white; black pepper. To finish - 3 spring onions chopped; 1 clove garlic chopped; small handful dill, chopped

Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix in the salmon chunks. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, whiz salmon to a rough paste in a food processor. Add the onions and garlic and whiz smooth. When you have a thick paste, stir in the chopped dill.

Hide Ad

Bring water to boil in a steamer pan. Meanwhile cut 8 x 10cm squares of parchment paper and lay them on a counter. Scoop a heaped mound of paste onto a paper square. Use wet hands to flatten and form into a round patty 1cm thick. Repeat for the remaining cakes. Steam in batches for 5 minutes, patties placed 1cm apart. Remove and cool. When ready to serve, brush with oil and grill, shallow fry or bake at 180C on both sides until golden.

Dill Potatoes

2 tbsp oil; 4 garlic cloves, chopped; 3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped; large bunch of dill, fronds only; tsp turmeric; tsp cayenne

Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan and saut the garlic for a minute, then add the potatoes. Cook over a low heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the dill, turmeric and cayenne and mix thoroughly. Add salt and about 125ml of water, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add more water during cooking if it evaporates. This is a dry dish, so all the water should be used up when the potatoes are cooked.

Sunflower Seed, Dill Dip

250g sunflower seeds; 1 bunch dill; 2 tbsp lemon juice; 2 garlic cloves; 275ml water

Process all the ingredients in a food processor until creamy. Add a little more water to get the right consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Scrape into a bowl, cover with cling film and chill for 2 hours to let the flavours develop. Remove from the fridge to room temperature and serve as an alternative to hummus with crudities or warm pitta.

• This article was first published in Scotland on Sunday, August 15, 2010