Breaded fish cakes with chips, mushy peas and tartare sauce on a rustic pub table.

Breaded Fish Cakes

These authentic British fish cakes combine tender, flaky cod with creamy, perfectly seasoned mashed potatoes, coated in panko breadcrumbs and fried to a crisp, golden perfection. Served alongside a zesty homemade tartar sauce, this budget-friendly comfort food offers a delightful contrast of textures that is both deeply satisfying and delightfully light.

Cooking Instructions

Preparation: 25 minutes
Cooking: 10 minutes
Servings: 2 to 4

Notes:

Poach the cod pieces gently in milk with a bay leaf and salt just until they firm up, which keeps the fish moist and prevents it from breaking down too much before mixing.

Boil russet potatoes in generously salted water until tender, drain them exceptionally well, and mash them smoothly to create a light and fluffy base for the patties.

Flake the cooled poached fish gently over the seasoned mashed potato mixture, stirring carefully to ensure the fish remains in nice, flaky pieces rather than turning into a paste.

For an efficient and less wasteful dredging process, dust the patties lightly with flour, brush both sides evenly with beaten egg, and coat them thoroughly in panko breadcrumbs.

Cook the fish cakes either by pan-frying in a quarter inch of hot vegetable oil over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or by deep-frying at 175°C until golden brown and crispy.

Prepare Tartar Sauce
Combine the mayonnaise, chopped capers, horseradish, Dijon mustard, parsley, tarragon, shallot, and a pinch of cayenne pepper in a bowl, mix well, and chill in the refrigerator.

Poach Fish
Place the cod strips in a saucepan with milk, a bay leaf, and salt, bring to a simmer for a minute until firm, then let rest off the heat for 5 minutes before draining and flaking.

Make Potatoes
Boil the peeled russet potatoes in salted water until tender, drain thoroughly, and mash until smooth.

Mix Filling
Season the mashed potatoes with salt, black pepper, cayenne, lemon zest, parsley, chives, and a spoonful of tartar sauce, then gently fold in the flaked cod.

Shape and Coat
Divide the mixture into four patties, dust with flour, brush with beaten egg, and coat thoroughly in panko breadcrumbs.

Cook and Serve
Pan-fry or deep-fry the fish cakes in hot oil until golden brown and crispy on both sides, then serve hot with the remaining tartar sauce and fresh lemon wedges.

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Ingredients

Tartar Sauce
Mayonnaise 120 g
Capers 1 tbsp
Horseradish 1 tsp
Dijon Mustard 1 tsp
Fresh Parsley 1 tbsp
Fresh Tarragon 1 tsp
Shallot 1
Cayenne Pepper 1 pinch
Fish and Poaching
Cod Fillets 500 g
Milk 120 ml
Bay Leaf 1
Salt To taste
Potato Base and Coating
Russet Potatoes 340 g
Salt To taste
Black Pepper To taste
Cayenne Pepper 1 pinch
Lemon Zest 1 tsp
Fresh Parsley 1 tbsp
Chives 1 tbsp
Flour For dusting
Egg 1
Panko Breadcrumbs 100 g
Vegetable Oil For frying

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