Irish Fish Cakes

Tim and I enjoyed an amazing trip to Ireland on our first “across the pond” trip.  I had a week to fit in everything I wanted to see in the Emerald Isle, didn’t even come close to accomplishing that,  but loved every minute of it.

We landed early in Dublin and drove down to the picturesque, medieval town of Kilkenny on our first night there.  We wanted that authentic Irish pub experience and got just that.  It was more than I could have asked for and I ordered fish cakes right away while the band was warming up.

MASH THE POTATOES AND ADD IN THE COOKED FISH

Comforting yet light at the same time, they were so perfectly what I wanted at that moment in time.  As with most amazing dishes I have out,  I couldn’t wait to replicate them at home.  They’re actually quite easy and have a base of mashed potatoes with flaky white fish mixed in and accentuated with lemon.  The zippy sauce is the perfect accompaniment to these cakes that are crispy on the outside yet velvety in the center.  Yum! 


Try these as an alternative to corned beef for your St. Patrick’s Day menu.  They don’t disappoint and they're amazingly budget friendly as the fish is subsidized with potatoes.  The Irish know how to pinch a penny and these are a staple in the country and a true joy in every bite.

I'm a fan of T-Fal non stick skillets.  You can use one here to ensure these patties are perfect,

I also love my set of KitchenAid Pots, which I've had for years.  They're fabulous and so sturdy.

And of course a set of Pyrex mixing bowls tops off the well equipped kitchen.

SHOP MY AMAZON STORE

Irish Fish Cakes

Makes 6 patties


2 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped 
2 cod filets (about 4 oz. each)
White wine (dry). - You'll need from 1-2 cups depending on your skillet and thickness of your cod
1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 sprig of thyme
1 egg, beaten
handful chopped parsley (optional)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste  plus about 1 teaspoon for the potato water
freshly ground pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon)
Olive oil for sautéing (about 2 teaspoons)


Sauce
1/3 cup mayonnaise
Small handful parsley, chopped finely
Small handful chives, chopped finely
Heaping teaspoon capers, chopped roughly
Pinch of sea salt 

Cover potatoes in cool, nicely salted water in alarge pot.  Bring to a boil and cook until tender when pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes.  Drain and let excess liquid evaporate.  Zest the lemon right into the potato mixture and begin the mash with a spoon.  You don’t want them too fine, but to still have some lumps and texture.

Add the beaten egg, salt & pepper and gently combine combine.


Pour enough wine and water combined to come up about half way in a high sided skillet, like this one from T-Fal.  Add 1 slice from the lemon, garlic cloves and thyme and bring to a simmer. 

Add in the cod filets and let simmer until just cooked through, about 5-8 minutes depending on the thickness of your cod.  Turn them over once to assist in even cooking.  Remove from the broth and cool until you can handle them. 
Into a large bowl, flake the fish into into larger chunks.


Combine fish and potato mixture very delicately, adding chopped parsley if you desire and additional salt to taste. 

Form into 6 patties, place on a plate or baking sheet and chill approximately 30 minutes to allow the patties to set up nicely.  They’ll hold up better when cooking if you take the extra step of letting them chill.


Drizzle some olive oil in a skillet and heat to medium.  Add the patties and cook about 3 minutes per side until cooked through and golden on each side.


While the patties cook, make the sauce.  Making somewhat in advance allows the flavors to deepen.  
In a small bowl combine mayo, parsley, chives, capers and the juice of 1/2 to the whole lemon, depending on how big and juicy your lemon is and how thick you want your sauce.  Add a pinch of salt and mix well.

Serve the fish cakes with a dollop of sauce and extra on the side.