Proper British Fish Cakes

I've been streaming a lot of British cooking shows lately, which is what inspired this. Not only do these look and taste amazing, they are also very inexpensive to make. Serve with watercress and lemon wedges.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 35 mins
• Calories: 623 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup milk
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 large egg, beaten
• ¼ cup vegetable oil, or as needed
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs, or as needed
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped Italian parsley
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 tablespoon sliced fresh chives
• 1 pound cod, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 12 ounces russet potato, peeled and quartered

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Mix mayonnaise, capers, shallot, parsley, tarragon, horseradish, mustard, and cayenne together in a bowl for tartar sauce and refrigerate until needed.

Step 2

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.

Step 3

Meanwhile, bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add russet potato and boil until tender but not falling apart.

Step 4

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. Flake chilled fish over the top. Mix until combined.

Step 5

Scoop out ¼ of the mixture and form into a patty. Repeat with remaining mixture.

Step 6

Dust cakes with flour on both sides. Brush both sides of cakes with beaten egg. Coat in bread crumbs.

Step 7

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. Drain on paper towels before serving with tartar sauce.