Fancy Fish Cakes

Back in the day, this was a favorite Friday meal when meat wasn’t allowed on that day. Of course, things have changed radically over the years, but fish cakes still remain a perennial favorite for supper. It was in my house growing up even though our religion didn’t require the fish on Friday.

Fish cakes are generally made with some variety of white fish and mashed potatoes. They are a simple and rather inexpensive meal–which is why they are forever popular. They still are a budget meal even with fish the price it is nowadays. The usual proportions are 50-50 of fish and potatoes, but they can be more economical by using a bit more potato to fish.

These Fish Cakes Get The Royal Treatment

These fancy fish cakes adheres to the basic proportions of fish to potato, but add a lot more into the mix.

There’s a bit of crab meat added for an interesting and fuller flavor. They also contain some green onion for a really savory flavor. And the seasonings? Who can beat a bit of Dijon mustard and a dash of hot sauce? Yes, the hot sauce may be omitted, but it’s such a light touch that it really only adds a bit of flavor and negligible heat.

Make Them Crunchy

My mom used to use regular breadcrumbs to dredge her fish cakes. These, however, use Panko crumbs for an extra crunch. That’s the perfect touch for such savory cakes!

And to make sure the crumbs adhere, you refrigerate them for at least 15 minutes prior to frying.

Now, when you fry them take a bit of care as fish cakes are pretty delicate and will fall apart if handled to aggressively. Since everything is cooked, all you have to do is brown them so turning once is all that’s necessary. It’s also important not to crowd the skillet–it’s best to fry in batches if you’re making a lot.

The Recipe

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Royal Fish Cakes

Adding a bit of crab meat to these fish cakes turns them right royal!

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time14 minutes mins

Chilling45 minutes mins

Course: Brunch, Dinner, Main, Main Course, Seafood

Cuisine: American

Keyword: fancy fish cakes, fish cake recipe, meals for lent

Servings: 8

Calories: 192kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 1 lb baking potatoes russet, Idaho, maris piper, King Edward
• 1 lb cod filet
• 6 green onions finely chopped
• 2 tbs mayonnaise
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 5 oz flaked crab meat
• 2 tbs parsley chopped
• dash of hot sauce optional
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1 tbs butter
• 1 tbs oil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400F/200C
• Boil potatoes until tender. Drain well and mash. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.
• Spray a sheet of foil with non-stick spray and put the cod on the foil, season with salt and pepper and seal the foil tightly, making a packet. Put on a baking tray and cook for 20 minutes, or until just cooked through. Set aside to cool. When completely cool, carefully flake the fish into large pieces. Reserve the cooking juices.
• Spoon the cold mashed potatoes into a bowl, mix in the spring onions, mayonnaise and mustard. Add 2 tablespoons of the fish cooking juice, then add the flaked cod and stir in the crabmeat. Add the parsley and hot pepper sauce and stir until combined. Season to taste.
• Shape the mixture into 8 fishcakes, roughly 3 1/2-in/9cm diameter, this is easiest with damp hands. Place on a tray and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
• Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on a plate and coat each fishcake. Return to the tray and refrigerate again for 30 minutes.
• Heat a wide, heavy-based frying pan, add the butter and oil and fry the fishcakes over a high heat for 4 minutes on each side, or until golden-brown all over. When frying, it’s best not to overcrowd the pan, cook in two batches, if necessary.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1fish cake | Calories: 192kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 287mg | Potassium: 552mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 240IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1mg

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Grilled salmon topped with melted blue cheese.  Simple, gourmet and delicious.

I love fish.  I know that sounds weird but I do and always have.  Reason I don’t eat it much nor feature it here is the cost these days is OUTRAGEOUS.  However I do decide to treat myself every now and then.

The fish I love most is salmon. I prefer the steaks and wild-caught, but will take it any way I get it  My mother heard of this trick with the blue cheese ages ago.  She’d broil the salmon (in the stove not on the grill–you can too if you prefer), then after topping with the crumbled blue cheese, she’d pop it under the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese was bubbly and starting to brown.  I have to say that part is the better method when it comes to the cheese.  Done on the BBQ grill, it merely melts.

Blue cheese adds a gourmet touch

As far as heat goes on the grill, my Napoleon grill has a built-in thermometer so I know the temp.  But if yours doesn’t, you can use the “steamboat” method.  Hold your hand about 1-2 inches above the grill grid then you count, “one steamboat, 2 steamboat,” etc.  A high grill you have to pull your hand away almost before you finish saying “one steamboat.”  A low grill is if you can keep your hand over the fire for 5 steamboats.

I tend to use a grill basket with fish since it’s so fragile and won’t fall apart when you go to turn it.  You just flip the basket it’s enclosed in.  It’s also good for small food that would fall through the grate and terrific for hot dogs and burgers.  I consider it a “must have” BBQ accessory.

Grilled Salmon with Blue Cheese

• 4 large salmon steaks or filet portions
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• salt & pepper
• oil for the grill

Rinse salmon under cold water.  Pat dry with a paper towel; set aside.


Preheat grill to high heat.  I have a thermometer built into my grill so I preheat until it’s 400 degrees F.  However, if you don’t have a grill with a built-in thermometer, you can use the “steamboat” method mentioned in the post above.

Salmon on grill

Grill the salmon over high heat for 5 minutes (approximate) each side.  Top with blue cheese, reduce grill heat to low, close the lid and continue cooking for 3-5 min or until cheese is melted.  FYI cheese will just melt, it will not bubble or brown.  If you want the cheese to bubble and brown, you will have to pop it under direct broiler heat for about 3 minutes.

Cheese will just melt on outdoor BBQ.  It won’t bubble or brown

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