Fishcakes with Tomato Salsa
Serves 4
The first time I had a real fish cake, it literally blew me away. I was expecting something like a “fish finger” that my mother used to feed us when we were kids back in the 1970’s. They were crispy on the outside yet rather watery on the inside with no real flavor. They never looked as good as the picture on the box.
I was in my early twenties on vacation in the beautiful island of Menorca. If you have never been there before, it has mile long, sandy crescents, rocky, turquoise water bays called “calas”, and beautiful pine tree lined beaches. It’s an amazing place to visit, and the seafood is outstanding. Dining out in the capital of Mahon at a local sea food restaurant, the special was fish cakes and the price fit my budget. The fish cakes were made from the catch of the day and served with a fresh tomato salsa. It was amazing to say the least, and kick started a fascination with how to cook sea creatures. My favorite seafood dishes being this one along with paella, grilled lobster, mussels in a Thai basil sauce and oven roasted halibut with a freshly made pesto topping.
Ingredients:
For the fishcakes
2 cups Russet potatoes, peeled and diced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cod loin, skinned and cut into small chunks
2 green onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 cup fresh white crabmeat, excess water removed
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley or cilantro (your choice)
A few drops hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
½ to 1 cup breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
For the salsa
6 firm, ripe, medium size tomatoes diced or 2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
½ red onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice or lemon juice (your choice)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro or parsley
How to make:
Preheat oven to 360◦F. Place the peeled potatoes in a saucepan of lightly salted water and bring a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain the potatoes well and then mash. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside to cool.
Lightly grease a sheet pan with oil, and place the cod chunks in the center. Season with salt and pepper. Put in the oven for 8 to 12 minutes or until just cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Take a large bowl and combine the mash with the green onions, mayonnaise and mustard. Stir in the crabmeat, parsley and hot pepper sauce. Stir until combined. Carefully fold in the cod chunks. Season to taste.
Shape the fish mixture into eight fishcakes, roughly the same size. Place on a lightly greased sheet pan and chill in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on a large plate and gently coat each fishcake. Return the coated fishcakes to the tray and chill again in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Make the salsa by mixing all the ingredients together. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
Place a large frying pan on the stove over a medium heat. Add the oil and butter and fry four fishcakes for three to four minutes on each side or until golden-brown. Remove from the pan. Keep warm while you cook the remaining four fishcakes.
Serve the fishcakes with the tomato salsa, salad or crusty bread.