The Best Fishcakes Recipes

ULTIMATE FISH CAKES

Steps:

• Mix together 125ml mayonnaise, 1 rounded tbsp roughly chopped capers, 1 rounded tsp creamed horseradish, 1 rounded tsp Dijon mustard, 1 small very finley chopped shallot and 1 tsp finely chopped flatleaf parsley. Set aside.
• Lay 450g skinned Icelandic cod or haddock fillet and 2 bay leaves in a frying pan. Pour over 150ml milk and 150ml water.
• Cover, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 4 mins. Take off the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 mins to gently finish cooking the fish.
• Meanwhile, peel and chop 350g Maris Piper potatoes into even-sized chunks. Put them in a saucepan and just cover with boiling water. Add a pinch of salt, bring back to the boil and simmer for 10 mins or until tender, but not broken up.
• Lift the fish out of the milk with a slotted spoon and put on a plate to cool. Drain the potatoes in a colander and leave for a min or two.
• Tip the potatoes back into the hot pan on the lowest heat you can and let them dry out for 1 min, mashing them with a fork and stirring so they don't stick. You should have a light, dry fluffy mash.
• Take off the heat and beat in 1 rounded tbsp of the sauce, then ½ tsp lemon zest, 1 tbsp chopped flatleaf parsley and 1 tbsp snipped chives.
• Season well with salt and pepper. The potato should have a good flavour, so taste and adjust to suit.
• Drain off liquid from the fish, grind some pepper over it, then flake it into big chunks into the pan of potatoes.
• Using your hands, gently lift the fish and potatoes together so they just mix. You'll only need a couple of turns, or the fish will break up too much. Put to one side and cool.
• Beat 1 egg on a large plate and lightly flour a board. Spread 85g fresh white breadcrumbs on a baking sheet. Divide the fish cake mixture into four.
• On the floured board, and with floured hands, carefully shape into four cakes, about 2.5cm thick. One by one, sit each cake in the egg, and brush over the top and sides so it is completely coated.
• Sit the cakes on the crumbs, patting the crumbs on the sides and tops so they are lightly covered. Transfer to a plate, cover and chill for 30 mins (or up to a day ahead).
• Heat 3-4 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil in a large frying pan. To test when ready, drop a piece of the dry breadcrumbs in - if it sizzles and quickly turns golden brown, it is ready to use.
• Fry the fish cakes over a medium heat for about 5 mins on each side or until crisp and golden. Serve with the rest of the sauce (squeeze in a little lemon to taste), lemon wedges for squeezing over and watercress.

PAN-FRIED FISHCAKES

Steps:

• Heat a skillet to high and add 1/4 cup cooking oil, then the onion, carrot, celery, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir until it gets going, then turn to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and browned very lightly, if at all, about 20 minutes. Use a lid or a splash of water if it's coloring too much before getting soft. Turn the mirepoix out onto a plate and set it aside to cool completely. Grate 1/2 teaspoon zest from the lime and set it aside.
• Chop the cod into 1/4-inch dice, place it in a medium bowl, and season it with 3/4 teaspoon salt and some grindings of black pepper. In the bowl of a food processor, combine a quarter of the fish with the cream and pulse until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the fish purée back to the bowl of chopped fish along with the cooled vegetable mixture, cilantro, jalapeño, lime zest, 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs, and 2 of the eggs. Stir with your hands and squeeze through your fingers to mix everything really well, then heat a skillet to medium, add a teaspoon of oil and fry a little piece for tasting. Adjust as needed and when you have the seasoning right, begin breading: Beat the remaining 2 eggs in a wide, shallow bowl, put the flour in another bowl, and the remaining 2 cups bread crumbs in a third. Have a baking sheet ready to receive the breaded cakes. Pat the fish mixture down in the bowl, smooth the top, divide it in half, then separate each half into 3 parts to make sixths. Scoop up half of one of the sixths, form it into a ball with your hands, flatten it into a patty, and place it in the flour. Turn the patty to coat, shake off the excess, and then place it in the eggs. Turn it to coat completely, let excess egg drip off, and then place it in the crumbs. Coat it completely with crumbs, set it on the baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining mixture until you have 12 fishcakes. Refrigerate them for 20 minutes to 6 hours before cooking.
• When you're ready, heat a skillet to medium-high and heat the oven to warm for holding one batch of fishcakes as you fry the rest. Add 1/4 inch of oil to the skillet and then as many fishcakes as will fit in a single layer. Fry, adjusting the heat as needed, until one side of the cakes is golden brown, about 4 minutes. Turn and brown the other side. Peek into one of the cakes to be sure it's cooked through and then keep the batch warm in the oven while you fry the rest. Right before serving, squeeze lime juice over the fishcakes.

NOVA SCOTIA FISH CAKES

Steps:

• Put the fish and milk in a medium saucepan. Refrigerate at least an hour.
• Peel the potatoes and put in a saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are soft. Drain thoroughly, mash and season well with salt and pepper.
• In a small skillet, melt butter, add scallions and cook until soft, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Remove the fish from the refrigerator and place over medium-low heat. Bring the milk to a simmer and cook the fish until flaky, 5 to 7 minutes; do not overcook. Remove from heat, drain off the milk and allow to cool. Using a fork, break the fish into large flakes.
• Lightly beat one of the eggs and stir into the cooled potato mixture with the scallions and Worcestershire sauce. Add the flaked fish and 1 tablespoon of the parsley and gently fold into the mixture. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
• Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Form patties about 3 1/2 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick for entree portions, or 2 inches in diameter for appetizer portions.
• Beat the remaining 2 eggs in a small bowl and put the bread crumbs in another. Dip the patties first in the beaten egg and then the bread crumbs. Heat about 1/8 of an inch of oil in a frying pan, adding more as needed. Fry the patties for just a few minutes on each side until golden. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with the remaining parsley. Serve warm with lemon, tartar sauce, chutney or chowchow.

COD FISH CAKES

Steps:

• Place the potatoes in a large pot of water, bring the water to a boil. Let the potatoes cook until they are almost tender.
• Add the fish to the pot and let the fish and potatoes cook until they are both soft. Drain well and transfer the potatoes and fish to a large mixing bowl.
• Add butter, onion, parsley, and egg to the bowl; mash the mixture together. Mold the mixture into patties.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Fry the patties on both sides until golden brown. Drain on paper towels before serving.

THE BEST FISHCAKES

Steps:

• Cook ther potatoes in salted water until they are very tender and then drain them and mash them finely.
• Combine with the fish and other ingredients down to and including the seasonsings and then using wet hands shape them into eight patties.
• Dust them with flour and then dip them into the egg and finallyu coat with the crumbs.
• Heat oil to moderate and cook them until they are golden browqn on both sides.
• FOR THE SAUCE simply combine the ingredients and mix well together and serve over patties and a sharp green salad.