Smoked Haddock and Cheddar Fishcakes

Smoked Haddock and Cheddar Fishcakes

Although bread crumbing is not my favourite job in the kitchen, it is totally worth it when it comes to these delicious fishcakes. The cheddar, parsley and smoked haddock are a very good partnership.

Smoked Haddock and Cheddar Fishcakes

Ingredients Serves 4-6

  • For the fish cakes
  • 500g floury white potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
  • Salt
  • 300g smoked haddock fillets
  • 3 spring onions, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 80g grated cheddar
  • 1 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 2 eggs
  • 180g breadcrumbs
  • Pepper
  • 80g plain flour
  • 100ml milk
  • 1 litre vegetable oil
  • 1 lemon, cut into wedges
  • For the herb créme fraiche
  • 200g créme fraiche, at least 30% fat
  • 1 tbsp chopped chives
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley
  • Salt and pepper
  • For the green beans
  • 500g green beans, trimmed
  • 50g butter
  • 10ml olive oil
  • 2 spring onions chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tomatoes, de-seeded and diced
  • Salt and pepper

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 190°C
  2. Boil the potatoes in a saucepan with plenty of water and a pinch or two of salt. When they are soft enough, drain well, then mash with a fork or potato masher. Leave to one side to cool down
  3. Put the smoked haddock onto a roasting tray and cook in the oven for 10 minutes, until firm and cooked through, take out and leave to one side to cool.
  4. Once the fish is cooled flake it with your fingers, checking for bones and discarding any skin
  5. In a large mixing bowl, put the potatoes, smoked haddock, spring onions, parsley, cheddar, mayonnaise and 1 of the eggs. Combine well. If it is quite liquid add up to 30g of the breadcrumbs slowly, until the mixture is easy enough to handle and shape with your hands. Try frying a small bit of the mixture at this stage to check for seasoning, adjust as necessary and then pop into the fridge to chill completely
  6. Take the mixture out and divide into approximately 12 pieces, weighing about 70-75g each, roll into rough balls. You can carry on shaping them as you are bread crumbing them
  7. Put the flour into a medium bowl
  8. Mix the remaining egg with the milk
  9. Put the remaining bread crumbs into a medium roasting tray or bowl
  10. Each cake has to be dusted in flour, then excess flour shaken off, dipped into the egg wash, then coated in breadcrumbs. The cake has to be completely covered in each layer. Once they are all done, do it again, so they are coated twice. Lay on a tray in a single layer and pop back in the fridge
  11. Turn the oven to 180°C
  12. In a medium sized frying pan or saucepan, heat the oil on a medium heat
  13. For the créme fraiche, mix all of the ingredients together and chill until needed
  14. For the fishcakes, first test the oil is hot enough with a bit of bread, it should fizzle and go brown pretty quickly. When the oil is hot enough, fry the fish cakes in batches for about 4-5 minutes until they are golden brown, then transfer to a bit of kitchen paper to blot the excess oil away. Then onto a non stick baking tray and finish in the oven for 5-7 minutes
  15. Whilst the fishcakes are finishing in the oven, get on with the beans; heat the butter and oil in a small saucepan on a medium heat and add the garlic and spring onions and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the tomatoes and some salt and pepper and turn the heat off. At the same time, bring a saucepan of water quickly to the boil and cook the green beans for 3-4 minutes until tender, toss with the warm tomato dressing just before serving
  16. To serve, put 2 or 3 (depending on how hungry, or how many guests you have) of the fishcakes onto a warmed dinner plate, top with a dollop of herb créme fraiche, put some of the green beans on the side and finish with a lemon wedge, serve immediately

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