Swedish Fishcakes

For four people you will need

• 200g fish per person (800g): any boneless white fish or a combo with some cooked prawns, salmon fillet, even a mackerel fillet or smoked mackerel. Great for using up belly flaps, cod cheeks, and that stray rockling
• 4 slices dry old white bread
• 1 lemon
• Handful of fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper
• Oil for cooking – veg oil or sunflower

This is a Jamie Oliver recipe and couldn’t be easier because you don’t need to faff with potato or egg wash. It is 100% fish so the fishcakes will be fairly firm. If you like softer fishcakes, you can add in 25% cooked mashed potato to the fish mix.

You will need a food processor or be very diligent at chopping. Firstly take the crusts off your bread and whizz them to breadcrumbs. Set aside on a large plate. Take a tablespoon or two of the crumbs and put them  back in your food processor. Chop the parsley and put it in the processor. Grate the zest off the lemon and add that too. Add salt and pepper, and your chosen fish combo. Whizz to a chunky gloop.  Tip the lot onto a chopping board. Here’s a tip: to divide it easily mould it into a large round cake. Now slice your cake into four and four again like a Union Jack. Take each slice and mould it into a burger shape. You should have eight of equal size. Roll them in the breadcrumbs and pat them to stick. If you have time, put them all on a plate in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes, that helps stop them  falling apart.

Now heat oil in a frying pan, about 1cm deep. Heat it so a cube cut from one of your spare crusts goes crispy golden brown in 30 seconds (but not burnt nut brown!). Now add your fishcakes. You may need to play with the heat controls so it cooks them without burning. After 5-8 minutes turn them over and give them another five on the other side. Hopefully the side you see will be not pale, not black but golden brown.

When cooked through, drain on kitchen towel and serve with your favourite accompaniments. In my opinion new potatoes and peas are hard to beat.

Tip:

You can make a nice starter by making mini versions of these fishcakes. Do exactly the same as above but make the fishcakes smaller, starting with a ball of gloop the size of a heaped tablespoon, and allow three per person. Cook them about 2-3 minutes a side. Serve with salad leaves and a flavoured mayonnaise. What’s that you ask. Here are two suggestions:

Rocket Mayo:

• 100ml good quality mayo
• Juice of half a lemon
• 60g rocket (a small packet is 60g)

Zap your rocket into a paste with a stick blender. You may have to do this with the lemon juice to stop the rocket wrapping around the blades. Where did all that rocket go, you wonder. Mix with the mayo. Done. A spoon or two of rocket mayo can be blobbed onto the plate before serving.

Lemon and Lime Mayo:

• 100ml good quality mayo
• Juice of one lemon
• Juice of one or two limes depending on size.

Mix. The problem with this one is the resulting sauce is a lot more runny than mayo so it needs to be served separately.