Foodedo recipe
Smoked Haddock Fishcakes with Buttery Peas and Tartare Sauce
Crisp breadcrumbed fishcakes made with smoked haddock and fluffy potato, served with buttered peas, quick tartare sauce and lemon wedges.
Ingredients
18 items
- 900 gfloury potatoespeeled and cut into 3cm chunks
- 400 gsmoked haddock filletsundyed if you like; skin removed after poaching if needed
- 300 mlwhole milkfor poaching the fish
- 45 gunsalted butter20g for the potato mixture and 25g for the peas
- 4spring onionstrimmed and finely sliced
- 20 gflat-leaf parsleyfinely chopped, divided
- 1lemonzested, then half juiced and the rest cut into wedges
- 1eggbeaten
- 50 gplain flourfor dusting
- 120 gdried white breadcrumbs
- 4 tbspsunflower oilfor frying
- 120 gmayonnaise
- 40 ggherkinsvery finely chopped
- 15 gcapersdrained and finely chopped
- 1shallotvery finely chopped
- 400 gfrozen peas
- to tastefine salt
- to tasteblack pepperfreshly ground if possible
Recipe notes (2)
- Note: The fishcakes need a short 15-minute chill before frying so they hold their shape well.
- Note: Smoked haddock varies in saltiness, so taste the potato mixture before adding extra salt.
Method
9 steps
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold water, add a good pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15–18 minutes until completely tender.
Step 2. Meanwhile, make the tartare sauce. In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, gherkins, capers, shallot, about 1 tablespoon of the parsley and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Season with black pepper and a small pinch of salt if needed, then set aside in the fridge.
Step 3. Put the smoked haddock in a sauté pan or deep frying pan in a single layer. Pour in the milk and add enough water just to nearly cover the fish. Set over a gentle heat and bring to a bare simmer. Poach for 4–5 minutes until the fish flakes easily. Lift the fish out onto a plate. If needed, remove and discard the skin, then check carefully for any bones.
Step 4. Drain the potatoes well and return them to the hot pan for 1 minute over a low heat to steam off excess moisture. Mash with 20g of the butter, the lemon zest and plenty of black pepper. Add salt cautiously, as the haddock is already salty. Leave the mash to cool for 5 minutes so the mixture firms up more easily.
Step 5. Flake the haddock into the potato, then add the spring onions and most of the remaining parsley. Fold together gently until evenly mixed but not paste-like. Divide and shape into 8 fishcakes, each about 2cm thick.
Step 6. Spread the flour on one plate, the beaten egg in a shallow bowl and the breadcrumbs on a second plate. Coat each fishcake first in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs, pressing the crumbs on lightly. Put them on a tray or plate and chill for 15 minutes to firm up.
Step 7. Heat 2 tablespoons of the sunflower oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry 4 fishcakes for 3–4 minutes on each side until crisp and deep golden; do not crowd the pan. Transfer to a baking tray, add the remaining oil to the pan and cook the other 4 fishcakes the same way.
Step 8. Bake the fishcakes for 8–10 minutes until piping hot right through. While they bake, boil the peas for 3 minutes, then drain and return them to the pan with the remaining 25g butter, a pinch of salt and black pepper. Toss until glossy and lightly buttered.
Step 9. Serve 2 fishcakes per person with the buttery peas, tartare sauce, the remaining parsley scattered over if you like, and lemon wedges alongside.