Middle Eastern Alaska Fish Cakes with Green Tahini Sauce

For the Green Tahini Sauce:

¼ cup fresh parsley

¼ cup fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons fresh mint

¼ cup tahini

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ teaspoon salt

For the Middle Eastern Fish Cakes:

1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro

1/3 cup roughly chopped parsley

1 tablespoon roughly chopped mint

3 cloves garlic

1 pound Alaska flounder or sole filets, patted dry

1 tablespoon lemon zest

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

For the Green Tahini Sauce:

1. Put the parsley, cilantro, and mint in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

2. Add the tahini, lemon juice, salt, and 1 tablespoon water until smooth.

3. Continue blending, adding water 1 tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached (it should be thin enough to drizzle but not watery).

4. Set aside (can be made up to a few days ahead of time and refrigerated, but will thicken so bring to room temperature and stir in a little more water as needed before serving).

For the Middle Eastern Fish Cakes:

1. Rinse out the food processor. Add the cilantro, parsley, mint, and garlic and pulse until finely chopped.

2. Add the flounder/sole, lemon zest, cumin, and salt and pulse until roughly chopped and combined (you want it to be well mixed but not a smooth paste).

3. Form into 1½-inch patties.

4. 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.

5. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate as they finish cooking.

6. 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.