Tommy's Twist: Fish Cakes

BBC chef Tommy Banks elevates the humble fishcake to one of the finest versions we’ve ever tasted

photograph KRIS KIRKHAM

Here, I give a couple of dishes a twist in one recipe. I’ve given fishcakes a makeover by packing them with fish, so they are all killer and no filler, plus I’ve upped the stakes with the addition of crabmeat, then coated them in panko breadcrumbs, which go extra crunchy. Next, as a nod to the retro classic cod in white sauce, and so as not to waste the fish-poaching liquid, which is essentially a fish stock, I’ve made a velvety sauce that I’ve spiked with all the tangy bits you get in a tartare sauce.

Luxury fishcakes with tartare velouté

Baking the potato, rather than boiling it, for the fishcake base results in a dryer mash that gives the finished cake more structure.

SERVES 6 PREP 40 mins COOK 1 hr 40 mins MORE EFFORT ❄

For the fishcakes:

1 large (about 250g) red-skin potato

250g smoked cod or haddock

250g hake

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp English mustard

500ml milk

1 egg yolk, plus 2 eggs, beaten

25g butter

1 whole nutmeg, for grating

½ lemon, zested and juiced

100g mature cheddar, grated

100g mixed white and brown crabmeat

2 bunches of spring onions, finely chopped

100g plain flour

100g panko breadcrumbs

4 tbsp sunflower oil, for frying

poached eggs, lemon wedges and pea shoots, to serve

For the tartare velouté:

25g butter

25g plain flour

50ml double cream

squeeze of lemon

large handful parsley leaves, chopped

2 tbsp capers, chopped

1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Stab the potato a few times and bake for about 1 hr or until soft. Cut the potato in half, scoop out the flesh and mash it, or pass through a ricer, and set aside. Meanwhile, put the fish in a shallow saucepan with the bay and mustard and season with salt and pepper. Pour the milk over, then place on a high heat. Once it’s simmering, turn off the heat, cover and leave for 10 mins.

2 Put the dry mashed potato in a bowl and add the egg yolk, butter, a grating of nutmeg, lemon zest and juice, the cheddar, crabmeat and spring onions. Combine all the ingredients, then add 1 tbsp of the poaching milk. Taste the potato mix, add seasoning and mix well. Lift the fish out of the milk, pour the milk into a jug and set aside, then flake the fish through the mix, combining carefully to keep big chunks of fish. Shape the mixture into six cakes. Put the flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs in three separate bowls and dip each fishcake in each one, being sure to coat them evenly. Can be prepared up to two days ahead or frozen for one month.

3 To make the sauce, heat the butter in a shallow saucepan until sizzling, then stir in the flour to make a sandy paste. Cook on a low heat for 2 mins, then gradually pour in the poaching milk. Add enough to make a silky sauce, then finish with the cream and simmer gently for 10 mins. Stir in some lemon juice, parsley and capers and season. Keep warm.

4 To cook the fishcakes, heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan and cook for 4-5 mins on each side until dark golden and crisp. If your pan isn’t big enough to cook them all at once, keep them warm in a low oven. Place each cake on a plate, pour a generous amount of sauce around the outside and then top the fishcake with a softly poached egg. Serve with a few pea shoots and extra lemon wedges for squeezing over, if you like.

GOOD TO KNOW calcium PER SERVING 582 kcals • fat 31g • saturates 14g • carbs 38g • sugars 6g • fibre 3g • protein 35g • salt 2.0g