Fish Cakes

This recipe works best when the fish cakes have at least 30 minutes to sit in the refrigerator before cooking. If you can make them in the morning (or even the night before) they make for a speedy way to get dinner on the table after work. I like to serve them on greens and sometimes with baked garlic fries on the side.

Adapted from NY Times Cooking. The photo is theirs.

Ingredients

• Ground black pepper

• Bay leaf (if you have one)

• Wedge of lemon

• 1 pound cod (or other white fish)

• 2 Tbl. butter

• 1/2 onion, minced

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 ribs celery, minced

• Pinch of red pepper flakes

• 1 heaping Tbl. mayonnaise

• 1 Tbl. dijon mustard

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup crushed saltine crackers or panko

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1/4 cup chopped parsley

• Canola or other neutral oil

Instructions

1. Fill a large skillet with an inch of water. Sprinkle in some ground pepper and add the bay leaf and wedge of lemon. Bring the water to a gentle simmer, then place the cod into the water. Let it continue to barely simmer until the fish is just cooked through and flaky, about 6 minutes. Carefully remove the cod from the water and set it aside to cool.

2. Discard the water and wipe the skillet dry. Reheat it and melt the butter, then sauté the onion, garlic, celery and red pepper flakes until the vegetables are softened. Let them cool slightly.

3. While the vegetables cool, combine the mayonnaise, mustard and eggs in a large bowl. Add the crackers or panko. If you use panko you'll need a little more salt, so add a grind or two and also some black pepper. Then stir in the chopped parsley. Add the cooked vegetables.

4. Using your hands, pull the fish apart into flakes and add it to the bowl. Gently mix it in until all the ingredients are combined.

5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper if you have it. Scoop some of the mixture into a 1 cup measuring cup, then turn it over onto the baking sheet to form a cake. You should have enough mixture to make four fish cakes. Wet the measuring cup if the fish mixture sticks.

6. Cover the cakes with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This will help them stay together better when you cook them. 

7. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Place the fish cakes in the oil and let them sit for about 4 minutes, then carefully flip them over. They should get golden brown on each side. You can add a smear of mayo on each side of the fish cakes to make them extra golden brown if you want.

8. Serve the fish cakes over greens that have been lightly dressed with lemon and olive oil if you'd like. I like to serve them with red bell pepper aioli or another similar sauce dolloped on top.