Proper British Fish Cakes

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Servings: 4
Yield: 4 servings

Description

Chef John's proper British fish cakes with mashed potato are fried golden brown and served alongside a homemade tartar sauce that perfectly complements the appetizer.

Ingredients

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
1 tablespoon finely chopped Italian parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 cup milk
1 bay leaf
1 pound cod, cut into 1-inch pieces
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
12 ounces russet potato, peeled and quartered
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped Italian parsley
1 tablespoon sliced fresh chives
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup panko bread crumbs, or as needed
1/4 cup vegetable oil, or as needed

Directions

1 Gather all ingredients.
2 Mix mayonnaise, capers, shallot, parsley, tarragon, horseradish, mustard, and cayenne together in a bowl for tartar sauce and refrigerate until needed.
3 Add milk and bay leaf to a saucepan and place the pieces of fish over the top. Season with salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and cook for about 1 minute, stirring occasionally. As soon as the fish firms up, but before it starts to flake apart, turn off the heat and cover. Let sit for 5 minutes before draining. Let cool, about 10 minutes. Refrigerate until needed.
4 Meanwhile, bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add russet potato and boil until tender but not falling apart.
5 Drain and mash potato in a bowl. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Add parsley, chives, and lemon zest; add 1 tablespoon tartar sauce mixture. Mix until combined.
6 Flake chilled fish over the top. Mix until combined.
7 Scoop out ¼ of the mixture and form into a patty. Repeat with remaining mixture.
8 Dust cakes with flour on both sides. Brush both sides of cakes with beaten egg. Coat in bread crumbs.
9 Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Pan-fry patties in the hot oil until golden brown and heated through, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
10 Drain on paper towels.
11 Serve with tartar sauce and enjoy!