This one takes a little bit of time, several pots, skillets and dishes, but there’s a great deal of flexibility to it that can spice it up or broaden it out. It comes from Judith Sanders as adapted by Joan Nathan in NYTimes Cooking, and we’ve further adapted it a little bit in order to increase the “fish” part of the “cakes.”
For this you’ll need: 1 lb white fish (Cod, Haddock, etc), 1 large russet potato (peeled and quartered), x3 eggs, 1 cup cream or milk (we used cream because we had it), 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, 1 bunch scallions (white parts thinly chopped), 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 Tbsp fresh thyme (scrape the leaves from the stem), 2 cups bread crumbs or panko, corn oil, 1 tsp lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Place the fish into a pot or a skillet with a cover and add the milk/cream. The vessel you choose should be enough to not only hold the fish, but also allow the cup of milk/cream to mostly cover it. Place a cover on the pot/skillet and put into the refrigerator for an hour.
Meanwhile, put the peeled and quartered potato into a small pot and cover it with water. Bring it to a boil and then simmer until a fork passes easily though them – about 20 mins. Remove from heat, drain off the water, return the potatoes to the same pot and gently mash them along with a good grinding of salt and pepper. Set aside so that they come to room temperature.
Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium/low heat and add the chopped scallions. Toss well and cook until just starting to soften – about 2-3 mins – and then remove from heat and set aside. Be careful not to burn your butter.
Remove the fish from the fridge and place it onto the stovetop over medium heat. Once the milk/cream starts to boil, reduce the heat so that the liquid simmers and cook until the fish is just starting to go opaque and flake – about 5-8 mins. Remove from the heat, drain off the liquid and return to cooked fish to the same pot and seta side to come to room temperature.
Lightly beat on of the eggs and mix it into the mashed potatoes with a fork. Add the scallions, butter, Worcestershire sauce and fresh thyme along with a good grinding of salt and pepper. This is the point that you can add some heat (e.g. red pepper flakes, hot sauce) or some different seasonings (e.g. paprika or Old Bay) if you like. Mix well until smooth. Add the flaked fish and gently combine. Return the whole thing to the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, beat the two remaining eggs with a splash of lemon juice in a shallow bowl and add the bread crumbs to a second shallow bowl. Place enough oil into a large skillet to get to a depth of about 1/8″ over medium heat and heat until it is just shimmering – don’t overheat so that it smokes. If it gets to this point, remove it from the heat and bring the temp down again.
Remove the fish/potato mixture from the fridge and, using a large spoon and your hands, make patties about 1″ thick and 3.5″ round. Place them on a plate while you make them. Once all of the patties are made, and the oil is properly heated, take each cake and place into the lemon/egg wash first and then into the bread crumbs – completely covering the top, bottom and sides. Place the patty into the heated oil and continue the process for all of your cakes. Once the skillet is full, place your breaded patties onto a separate plate. If you don’t cook them all at once, cover the extras in foil and put them in the fridge. They should keep for a day or two.
Fry the patties until golden brown on both sides – about 3-5 mins per side – and then place on a paper towel covered plate to drain for a minute.
Serve while still warm with tartar sauce and a small salad.
