Tuesday 2 November 2010

Fish Cakes Again

If you have followed my blog for more than a month, you will undoubtedly know that I love fish cakes. I love to make them, I love to eat them and best of all my family love them too.

To actually give you "my fish cake recipe" would be almost impossible. I make them differently each time, depending on what fish I have on hand and what flavours I fancy that day.

One of the wonderful things about fish cakes, is that they taste as good hot on the day you make them as they do cold the next day. You can splash out and use expensive fish like salmon, or go on the cheap and use tinned pilchards - both are equally good in my eyes mouth!

I know many of you will baulk at the idea of using instant mash, but I find it gives great consistency and holds the fish cake together beautifully. You are welcome to use your own real mash, just make sure that it has no lumps, is very dry and is perfectly smooth.

Butter Fish Cakes
Serves 2

150g Butter Fish
4 Cloves of Garlic
1 Big Handfull of Parsley, with stalks (for Steaming)
15ml chopped Fresh Parsley for the fish cakes
50g Instant Mash Potato
Salt and Pepper to taste
Breadcrumbs for rolling the fish cakes before frying
Oil for Frying

In a steamer place the parsely on the base and top with the fish and then the chopped garlic.
Steam the fish until just done.
Reserve the liquid.
Flake the fish in a bowl, together with the as much of the garlic you steamed it with to taste.
Add the chopped parsley, the mash, salt and pepper.
Mix together and add enough of the steaming liquid to get firm but workable mixture.
Place in the fridge or freezer until well chilled.
Shape the fish mixture into patties, roll in breadcrumbs and fry in shallow oil until golden on both sides.

I served my fish cakes with the great home made tartar sauce. I would only suggest you thy this if you have a food processor, as beating mayonnaise by hand is a long and tiring job.


TarTar Sauce

1 Fresh Egg
300- 400ml Sunflower Oil
2 Pickled Gherkins
30-45ml Pickling Juice from the Gherkins
Lemon Juice
Salt and White Pepper
1 Small Onion peeled and roughly chopped

Place the egg in the food processor bowl.
Start the processor on high.
Add about 20ml of gherkin pickling juice.
Add the oil in a very thin stream while the motor is running.
After each 100ml of oil, check the mayonnaise until you have the correct consistency.
Once your mayonnaise is thick and creamy, add the salt and pepper to taste.
Add the gherkins and the onion and whizz until smooth.

Check the taste, you might need to add more pickling juice or lemon juice to help even out the taste.


Store in the fridge for 3-4 days.

10 comments:

polkadotcupcake said...

These look delicious, and the use of Smash is so inventive! Nice one, Rose!

Linda Harding said...

These looks so delicious! Would go marvelously with a good glass of icy cold white wine. Mmmmmmm!

Nina Timm said...

If instant mash is what makes your life easy, why not!! looks very tasty and crispy on the outside!!

Kimberly Peterson said...

I love fish cakes too, yummm and tartare sauce double yummm!!

Anonymous said...

could I use potato flour? These look great :)

Homemade Heaven said...

Tandy - I don't know if it will work. I also use instant mash to thicken soups or stews. I once tried to thicken a soup with potato flour and it does not work the same way, has to be dissolved first.
If you do have success, let me know I would like to try it.

Anonymous said...

I've also used instant mash, nothing wrong.
Cindy
xxx

Marisa said...

Your fishcakes look perfect Rose! I am always surprised by how quick & easy they are to make, but deliver BIG on taste.

Jeanne @ CookSister! said...

Ah, Smash... now THAT takes me back to my childhood :o) I never make fishcakes which is a grave oversight - my mom used to make fab ones frompichards! Yours look perfect, as do the straw potatoes :)

Ian Low said...

really great butter fishcakes! i may use this to do a new recipe of my own ... hehe .. if its ok :)

Jeremiah 17: 7-8

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It is not your business to succeed, but to do what is right : when you have done so, the rest lies with God.
C.S. Lewis

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