Ultimate Fish Cakes
Flaky, golden fish cakes made with poached cod or haddock and fluffy mash, served with a caper and horseradish mayonnaise.
Ingredients
- 125ml mayonnaise
- 1 rounded tbsp capers, roughly chopped (rinsed and drained if salted)
- 1 rounded tsp creamed horseradish
- 1 rounded tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 small shallot, very finely chopped
- 1 tsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 450g skinned cod or haddock fillet
- 2 bay leaves
- 150ml milk
- 350g Maris Piper potatoes
- 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp snipped chives
- 1 egg
- flour, for shaping
- 85g fresh white breadcrumbs, preferably a day or two old
- 3-4 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil, for shallow frying
- lemon wedges and watercress, to serve
Instructions
- Mix together the mayonnaise, capers, horseradish, mustard, shallot and parsley. Set aside.
- Lay the fish and bay leaves in a frying pan. Pour over the milk and 150ml water. Cover, bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 4 minutes. Take off the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes to gently finish cooking.
- Meanwhile, peel and chop the potatoes into even-sized chunks. Cover with boiling water in a saucepan, add a pinch of salt, bring back to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes until tender but not broken up.
- Lift the fish out with a slotted spoon and put on a plate to cool. Drain the potatoes and leave for a minute or two.
- Return the potatoes to the hot pan on the lowest heat and let them dry out for 1 minute, mashing with a fork so they don’t stick, until light and fluffy.
- Off the heat, beat in 1 rounded tbsp of the sauce, then the lemon zest, chopped parsley and chives. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Drain off any liquid from the fish, grind over some pepper, then flake into big chunks into the pan of potatoes. Using your hands, gently mix the fish and potatoes together with just a couple of turns so the fish doesn’t break up too much. Set aside and cool.
- Beat the egg on a large plate and lightly flour a board. Spread the breadcrumbs on a baking sheet. Divide the mixture into four.
- On the floured board, shape into four cakes about 2.5cm thick. Dip each cake in the egg, coating completely, then sit on the crumbs, patting them on so the cakes are lightly covered. Chill for 30 minutes (or up to a day ahead).
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns golden when dropped in.
- Fry the fish cakes over medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side until crisp and golden. Serve with the remaining sauce, lemon wedges and watercress.