Felt like whipping up some sort of fish cake today since I have a bunch of potatoes and came across some cod today. These fish cakes are NOT the east coast style kind as mine are made from regular cod and potato and are not fried. The mixture is soft so I lightly coated the fish and potato patties with just a light coating of whole wheat panko. I think a secret here is using whole wheat panko. I don’t think regular panko will work out as well. The coating comes out very crispy!

Ingredients for 8 generous servings

2 lbs baking potato peeled – cut in halves – and placed in a pot of water

2 Tablespoons kosher salt – to boil with potatoes

1/2 onion (to boil with potatoes – discard after potatoes are boiled)

2 garlic cloves  (to boil with potatoes – discard after potatoes are boiled)

1 celery rib (to boil with potatoes – discard after potatoes are boiled)

1 carrot ( to boil with potatoes – discard after potatoes are boiled)

1 hot pepper (to boil with potatoes – discard after potatoes are boiled) ((I used a banana pepper)

1/3 cup grated onions

1 celery rib – chopped very fine

1 garlic clove – ground to paste

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 lb cod

fresh ground sea salt to taste

fresh ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup (scant) extra virgin olive oil (to drizzle under and over the fish)

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon course sea salt

1 Tablespoon heavy cream

1/4 cup scallions – chopped

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1 L egg – slightly beaten

1 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs

non – stick spray – either canola or vegetable

Directions

Turn oven on to 425 degrees F

In a pot add potatoes, 2 Tablespoons salt, 1/2 onion, 1 celery rib, carrot and hot pepper on to a medium boil. Boil the potatoes till fork tender.

Sprinkle a baking sheet with extra virgin olive oil and Fresh ground sea salt and black pepper. Place the fish on top of the olive oil and seasoning. Now drizzle the top of the fish(s) with olive oil and lightly sprinkle the fish with fresh ground sea salt and fresh ground black pepper. Place the fish in the oven and pull out when done. (about 15 minutes)

While the potatoes are boiling get a small fry pan on medium heat, melt the butter and then cook up the grated onion, finely chopped celery, ground garlic and thyme till everything smells good and everything is soft. It should get done very quickly because everything should be very fine. Set to the side.

When the potatoes are fork tender. Discard the onion, garlic, carrot celery and hot pepper. Drain the potatoes and hand mash. (after draining I put the potatoes back in the pot to mash) Add the onion and celery mixture from the fry pan and mash into the potatoes.

Now mash the fish into the potatoes. Add the ground black pepper, sea salt, heavy cream, scallions, white pepper and egg and mix till incorporated.

Score the mixture in quarters. Half a quarter will make a nice size patty. Make eight patties.

In a small bowl add the panko. Lightly coat each patty all over with the crumbs.

Spray the baking sheet(s) and tops of patties with Non stick spray and place the patties leaving some room around them.

After 30 minutes in the oven they should be golden brown all over.

I let them cool and then refrigerate. Latter I reheated two patties for dinner uncovered for 30 minutes (with covered vegetable sides) at 350 degrees F.

The outside is very thin and VERY CRISPY. I think they are flavored just right. My husband didn’t think he’d like them but when he tried it he couldn’t believe how yummy they were! I don’t think the Baked Cod Cakes really need a sauce but feel free to use whatever sauce you like. Back east we just use ketchup on fish cake sandwiches. I think a tarter sauce would be good, a lemon aioli or my secret sauce Asian Style shhhhh (Kewpie, a squirt of sriracha and gochujang. My husband requested cocktail sauce. I didn’t measure but this quick style cocktail sauce came out really amazing. It was Ketchup, horseradish, worcestershire, hot sauce, black pepper and bomba calabrese. My husband kept asking how did you make this? (fish cake and cocktail sauce) This is really delicious….really really very good!

Enjoy!