Fresh Cod Cakes Recipes

CRISPY POTATO FISH CAKES WITH COD

Steps:

• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cod, season with salt and pepper; cook until just barely opaque and flakey - better to ever-so-slightly undercook the fish than overcook it at this stage, as you'll be cooking it again in the cakes.
• Transfer to a bowl and break into large flakes with your hands. Add mashed potato, egg, green onion and enough bread crumbs so that the mixture holds a patty shape (if using leftover mash with milk or other liquid added, you'll definitely need the whole cup of crumbs). Use your hands or a big spoon to work everything together until well-combined.
• Place flour on a shallow plate. Form potato mixture into 16 equal patties between the palms of your hands, dredging both sides in the flour and transferring to a baking sheet as you go. Refrigerate fish cakes 20 minutes to firm up.
• Wipe out the fish skillet and return to medium heat; add remaining oil. When shimmering hot, add several fish cakes - you'll need to cook them in a few batches to avoid over-crowding the pan. Serve with tartar sauce.

COD CAKES

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.

COD FISH CAKES

Steps:

• Place the potatoes in a large pot of water, bring the water to a boil. Let the potatoes cook until they are almost tender.
• Add the fish to the pot and let the fish and potatoes cook until they are both soft. Drain well and transfer the potatoes and fish to a large mixing bowl.
• Add butter, onion, parsley, and egg to the bowl; mash the mixture together. Mold the mixture into patties.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Fry the patties on both sides until golden brown. Drain on paper towels before serving.

COD CAKES

Steps:

• Add some salt and a bouquet garni of some bay leaves, lemon wedges and black peppercorns to a pot of boiling water. Add the cod fillets and boil for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the cod from the water and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Boil the potatoes in plenty of salted water until tender. Drain, mash and cool completely.
• Pan-fry the onions in a little bit of canola oil until soft. Set aside to cool.
• In a large bowl, mix together the chilled cod, mashed potatoes, fried onions, sour cream, chives, mustard, scallions, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, garlic powder, white pepper and 1 tablespoon salt. Add the breadcrumbs and mix to combine. Form the mixture into 4-ounce cakes.
• Heat some oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pan-fry the cakes in batches until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side; add some additional oil and butter between batches as needed.

FRESH COD CAKES

Steps:

• Tear bread into pieces and pulse to fine crumbs in a food processor. Transfer a scant cup of crumbs to a bowl for fish cakes and reserve remaining 1 1/2 cups in a shallow bowl for coating. Pulse celery and scallions in processor until coarsely chopped, then add parsley and pulse until finely chopped. Combine celery mixture with scant cup crumbs in bowl (for fish cakes).
• Pulse fish in processor until finely chopped (be careful not to process to a paste). Add fish to celery-crumb mixture along with egg, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, stirring until combined well.
• Season bread crumbs in shallow bowl with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Gently shape fish mixture into 4 (4-inch) patties (mixture will be soft) and coat well with seasoned bread crumbs. Chill, uncovered, on a wax-paper-lined large plate 10 minutes.
• Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then fry 2 fish cakes, turning over once, until golden brown and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes total. Repeat with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and 2 fish cakes, wiping out skillet with a paper towel between batches.

NEW ENGLAND CODFISH CAKES

Steps:

• Season fillets well with salt and pepper. Place on the rack of a steamer over boiling water. Cover and steam for 5 minutes. Remove rack and fish and let fillets cool.
• Peel potatoes and cut them into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Cover with cold water in a saucepan. Add sliced onions, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
• Drain potatoes well and mash them coarsely.
• When fish is cool enough to handle, flake it with a fork.
• Place potatoes in a mixing bowl. Add egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and grated onion. Blend very well and add fish, folding it in lightly without overmixing. Put mixture in a baking dish and chill in refrigerator.
• When mixture is thoroughly cool, shape it into 12 hamburger-size patties. Put flour in a shallow dish and dredge fish cakes in it. Shake off excess flour.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet. Fry patties for about 2 1/2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately. Use remaining 2 tablespoons oil if necessary. Serve with tartar sauce (see recipe).

FRESH COD CAKES

Steps:

• Tear bread into pieces and pulse to fine crumbs in the food processor.
• Transfer a scant cup of crumbs to a bowl for fish cakes and reserve remaining 1 1/2 cups in a bowl for coating.
• Pulse celery and scallions in processor until coarsely chopped, then add parsley and pulse until finely chopped.
• Combine celery mixture with scant cup crumbs in bowl (for fish cakes).
• Pulse fish in processor until finely chopped (be careful not to process to paste).
• Add fish to celery crumb mixture along with egg, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper, stirring until combined well.
• Season bread crumbs in shallow bowl with remaining 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper.
• Gently shape fish mixture into 4 (4") patties (mixture will be soft) and coat well with seasoned bread crumbs.
• Chill, uncovered, on a wax-paper-lined large plate 10 minutes.
• Heat 1 1/2 TBS oil in a 12" nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then fry 2 fish cakes, turing over once, until golden brown and cooked through, 8-10 minutes total.
• Repeat with reamining 1 1/2 TBS oil and 2 fish cakes wiping out skillet with a paper towel between batches.
• Serve with Bev's Tartar Sauce Recipe #56860.
• Serves 4.

ULTIMATE FISH CAKES

Steps:

• Mix together 125ml mayonnaise, 1 rounded tbsp roughly chopped capers, 1 rounded tsp creamed horseradish, 1 rounded tsp Dijon mustard, 1 small very finley chopped shallot and 1 tsp finely chopped flatleaf parsley. Set aside.
• Lay 450g skinned Icelandic cod or haddock fillet and 2 bay leaves in a frying pan. Pour over 150ml milk and 150ml water.
• Cover, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 4 mins. Take off the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 mins to gently finish cooking the fish.
• Meanwhile, peel and chop 350g Maris Piper potatoes into even-sized chunks. Put them in a saucepan and just cover with boiling water. Add a pinch of salt, bring back to the boil and simmer for 10 mins or until tender, but not broken up.
• Lift the fish out of the milk with a slotted spoon and put on a plate to cool. Drain the potatoes in a colander and leave for a min or two.
• Tip the potatoes back into the hot pan on the lowest heat you can and let them dry out for 1 min, mashing them with a fork and stirring so they don't stick. You should have a light, dry fluffy mash.
• Take off the heat and beat in 1 rounded tbsp of the sauce, then ½ tsp lemon zest, 1 tbsp chopped flatleaf parsley and 1 tbsp snipped chives.
• Season well with salt and pepper. The potato should have a good flavour, so taste and adjust to suit.
• Drain off liquid from the fish, grind some pepper over it, then flake it into big chunks into the pan of potatoes.
• Using your hands, gently lift the fish and potatoes together so they just mix. You'll only need a couple of turns, or the fish will break up too much. Put to one side and cool.
• Beat 1 egg on a large plate and lightly flour a board. Spread 85g fresh white breadcrumbs on a baking sheet. Divide the fish cake mixture into four.
• On the floured board, and with floured hands, carefully shape into four cakes, about 2.5cm thick. One by one, sit each cake in the egg, and brush over the top and sides so it is completely coated.
• Sit the cakes on the crumbs, patting the crumbs on the sides and tops so they are lightly covered. Transfer to a plate, cover and chill for 30 mins (or up to a day ahead).
• Heat 3-4 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil in a large frying pan. To test when ready, drop a piece of the dry breadcrumbs in - if it sizzles and quickly turns golden brown, it is ready to use.
• Fry the fish cakes over a medium heat for about 5 mins on each side or until crisp and golden. Serve with the rest of the sauce (squeeze in a little lemon to taste), lemon wedges for squeezing over and watercress.