How to Make Fish Cakes from Scratch w/ Mash and Tomato Vinaigrette

What's with the Fish Cake recipes flooding the Internet these days? I've always been under the impression that fish cakes should be made with well . . . Fish! Why even go through the trouble if you're just going to drown out the flavor by adding potatoes and breadcrumbs into the mix? Don't get me wrong, mash potatoes have a rightful place sitting under a beautiful fish cake, just not inside of it. If you're interested in trying the delicate flavors of a true Fish Cake, stick around as I show you how to make fish cakes from scratch served up with some homemade mash and a simple tomato vinaigrette to pull it all together.

If you've ever watched Masterchef or Kitchen Nightmares, you're probably aware of Gordon Ramsay's rants on how simplicity is key. Time to eat your own words buddy. Dear Mr. Ramsay, I've found several of your fish cake recipes online and they average somewhere around 10 ingredients a piece, mine only has five, so suck on that!

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Serves Two with leftovers!

Salmon, Trout, Cod, Bass, etc. all make for great fish cakes. The key to a good cake is the freshest fish possible!

Learning how to make fish cakes is a lot easier than you may think!

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Cooked and Broken up Fish Meat
• 1/2 White Onion Chopped Finely
• 2 Celery Stalks Chopped Finely
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• Salt & Pepper to Taste

Directions:

1. If you haven't done so already, make sure that your fish is cooked and ready to breakdown. I generally cook my fish whole on the BBQ so that it stays moist and also gains a little smokiness. Let you're fish cool down before you go breaking down the meat inside.
2. Once you have broken down your fish meat and removed any bones, combine all ingredients into a large bowl and mix well. Divide the mixture into four equal parts and form into cake shapes.
3. Allow the cakes to set up in the refrigerator for at least a half hour.
4. Cover the bottom of a medium saucepan with vegetable oil of your choosing (I like Sunflower Oil), and heat to medium-high heat.
5. Cook fish cakes until they reach a golden brown color. They should only spend 4-6 minutes on each side and only be flipped over once. Cook two fish cakes at a time so the oil stays hot. If you try to cook them all at once, the oil could go cold and you'll end up with very oily fish cakes.
6. When they're golden, remove from the oil and place on a cooling rack. Hit them with a touch of salt and pepper right away. Once any excess oil has dripped off, they're ready to eat.

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A simple touch of acidity is all it takes to enhance the delicate fish and potato flavors!

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 tsp Chili Powder
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• Dash of White Vinegar
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor/blender and process until smooth. Set aside until you're ready.

Ingredients:

• 5 Large Russet Potatoes
• 1/2-1 Cup Milk
• 1/4 Cup Butter or Vegetable Oil
• 2 Large Cloves Garlic (Chopped or made into a paste)
• Handful fresh Chopped Chives
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. While your fish cakes are setting up in the refrigerator, boil the whole potatoes in lightly salted water for 20-30 minutes depending on their size. The potatoes should be soft enough to stick a knife through them without too much resistance.
2. Once ready, pour off water and quickly mash the potatoes with a large fork or masher. Add the garlic, oil and mix well. Next begin adding the milk. If you like creamy potatoes like me, go for more milk. Add as much or as little as you desire.
3. Finish the potatoes with salt and pepper and the addition of the chives.

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Get creative. Sure my recipe is great, but not everybody uses the same ingredients. I invite you to post up variations or a fish cake recipe of your own. I hope that you can add this one to your arsenal of recipes. Now go spread the word, and show your friends how to make fish cakes the real way.