COD FISH CAKE RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Peel the potatoes, cut into 2cm chunks, and cook in boiling salted water for 10 minutes (or use baked potatoes – scoop out the potato and discard the skin).
  2. Rub the salmon fillet all over with 1 teaspoon of oil and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then place in a colander and cover with tin foil.
  3. When the time's up on the potatoes, place colander directly over the pan of boiling potatoes. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the salmon and potatoes are both cooked through.
  4. Meanwhile, pick and finely chop the parsley leaves, discarding the stalks.
  5. Once cooked, remove the fish from the colander to a plate, and discard the skin. Drain the potatoes, and leave to steam dry for 1 minute, then tip back into the pan.
  6. Mash the potatoes, spreading the mash round the sides of the pan to help it cool down quickly. When the potatoes are cooled, transfer to a bowl.
  7. Flake the salmon into the bowl, add 1 tablespoon of flour, the chopped parsley and a really good pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Finely grate over the lemon zest, then mash and mix together really well.
  8. Dust a plate with a little flour. Divide the mixture into 4, then lightly shape and pat into circles about 2cm thick, dusting them with flour as you go. Put them onto a clean plate also dusted with a little flour. If you're going to freeze them, wrap them in clingfilm at this point and put them into the freezer. Otherwise simply pop them into the fridge for an hour before cooking – this will allow them to firm up slightly.
  9. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the fishcakes and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until crisp and golden – you may need to work in batches.
  10. Serve straight away, with veg or salad and lemon wedges for squeezing over.

Steps:

• Fill a shallow, wide pan with high sides with about an inch of water, and set it over high heat. Add the peppercorns, bay leaf and 1 section of the lemon to the water, and allow it to come to a bare simmer. Place the fish into this poaching liquid, and cook, barely simmering, until the flesh has just begun to whiten all the way through, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Using a wide spatula, carefully remove the fish from the water, and set aside to cool.
• Empty the pan, and return it to the stove, over medium-high heat. Add the butter, and allow it to melt, swirling it around the pan. When the butter foams, add the celery, onions and garlic, and sauté, stirring often, until the vegetables soften and the onions turn translucent, then transfer them to a large bowl.
• In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, mustard, eggs, salt, pepper and seasoning salt (or paprika and hot-pepper flakes), then add this mixture to the bowl with the sautéed vegetables, pour the crushed saltines or bread crumbs over them and stir to combine. Add the parsley, and stir again.
• Flake the cooked fish into the binding sauce carefully, keeping the flakes as whole as you can manage, then gather them into small balls, and form them into patties, 4-6 for a main course, 6-8 for an appetizer. Place them on a sheet pan or platter, cover loosely with plastic wrap and transfer them to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set.
• Set a large sauté pan over high heat, and add to it the neutral oil. When the oil is shimmering, remove the fish cakes from the refrigerator, and carefully sauté the patties until they are golden brown, approximately 4 to 5 minutes a side. Work in batches if necessary. (A small smear of mayonnaise on the exterior of the patties will give them a crisp crust.) Serve them alone, or with greens dressed in a lemony vinaigrette, with the remaining wedges of lemon.