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SUPPER: Old-school fishcakes
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SUPPER: Old-school fishcakes
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| Photo l Felicia D'Ambrosio |
| Fish fry. |
You must act fast when faced with a surplus of fish. It doesn't happen often, but when the dinner guests don't touch a few fillets of cooked seafood, you have just a few options.
Fish soup, made with whatever aromatics you have on hand (onions, garlic, fennel, celery, carrot), fresh herbs, stock and a touch of cream is a gratifying use of leftovers. Break up cooked fish with a fork before adding it to the completed soup to heat through. Grill a few pieces of crusty bread for dipping and no one will guess this is a second-run meal.
Fishcakes are something I had never even desired to make, until the Tupperware full of lemon-butter cooked tilapia and mashed potatoes foisted on me by my stepmother actually demanded I give the humble cakes a try.
After flaking the cooked fish with a fork and combining them with grated onion, herbs and the mashed potatoes, I gently patted them into small cakes and gave them a dip in egg and breadcrumbs. Fried to a crisp exterior, the simple cakes were tender and surprisingly delicate. Their neutral flavor profile makes them a good match for a variety of partners: eggs, green salad, cocktail sauce and a soft roll, or The Philly Combo: two fishcakes and a split-grilled hot dog with raw onions and "Greek sauce" on a double-wide bun.
After the jump, learn how to turn yesterday's unloved fish into today's hot cake.
Leftover Fishcakes
This is a proportional recipe; it can be adjusted to use up leftovers, no matter how little or how much you have.
Go Get This (out of the pantry and fridge):
Three parts cooked fish fillets, pin bones removed
One part mashed potatoes, cold
One part onion, grated on a box grater (or more, to taste)
Palmful of fresh herbs (oregano, thyme, chervil, parsley, tarragon, whatever you got; reduce amount to pinches if using dried herbs, which are much more intense)
Pinch dry mustard powder
One egg
Breadcrumbs
Neutral-flavored oil, like canola
Now Do This:
In a bowl, flake the cooked fish with a fork into small-ish chunks. Don't pulverize it. Add the grated onion, mashed potatoes, dry mustard powder and herbs; gently mix with the fork to combine.
In a bowl, whisk the egg until yolk and white are combined. Pour breadcrumbs into a shallow, rimmed plate.
Gently pat the fish and potato mixture into small cakes. Remember, they should be thinner instead of thick, because you want to heat the cake through without making it tough or dried out. The primary ingredients are already cooked, so you are really just crisping the outside and warming the inside.
Dip each cake, first in the beaten egg wash and then the breadcrumbs to coat. Set aside on a plate.
Place a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add enough oil just to keep the cakes from sticking; a splash or two should do it.
When oil is shimmering, gently place fish cakes in pan. Fry on each side for 1-2 minutes, until brown and crisp. Remove from pan and place on paper towels to drain.
Serve with a green salad, scrambled eggs or on a sandwich.
For best results, eat that fish cake along with a hot dog - the original Philly surf & turf.
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