Fish Cakes

Fish Cakes

A couple of years ago I wrote an article about salmon croquettes for the Nosher (My Jewish Learning). I acknowledged that salmon croquettes (latkes, patties) are not particularly elegant and not fashionable, and yet they are beloved in so many Jewish families. I don’t know anyone above a “certain age” whose mom or grandma did NOT make salmon latkes.

For me, salmon latkes are not only great food, they conjure many memories (they were my mother’s favorite — and last — meal). I make them the way my mom made them (the recipe is in the article link above).

And yet I also vary the recipe so much that I can’t, in good conscience, call them salmon latkes. First, because I don’t always use salmon. Second, I add a lot of extras that weren’t ever part of my mom’s original recipe.

Here’s one of my favorite variations. I make it with bluefish because I really love bluefish. But any fish will do.

Fish Cakes with Sun Dried Tomatoes

• 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes

• 2 cups crumbled cooked fish

• 1 large egg

• 1 thick scallion, finely chopped

• 1/4 cup chopped black imported olives

• 1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• salt and pepper to taste

• all-purpose flour for dredging, about 1/4 cup

• 2 tablespoon butter

• 2 tablespoon olive oil

• lemon quarters

Cut the potatoes into large chunks and cook them in lightly salted water for 12-15 minutes or until tender. Drain under cold water and peel. Mash the potatoes and place them in a bowl. Add the fish, egg, scallion, olives, tomatoes, parsley, mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Mix the ingredients to distribute them evenly. Shape portions of the mixture into 4 patties about 1/2-thick. Dredge the patties in the flour and shake off the excess. Heat the butter and olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and looks foamy, add the patties and cook for about 3 minutes per side or until hot, crispy and golden brown. Serve garnished with lemon quarters.

Makes 4 servings

Whitefish Cakes with Asparagus and Egg

If you’re refraining from eating meat during the Nine Days, or because the weather is hot and humid and the thought or eating something heavy like meat is beyond your emotional capacity or you just love the occasional meatless meal, try these fish cakes!

I had leftovers from a large smoked whitefish that we didn’t finish — but it would work with any cooked fish (I’ve made this dish with smoked trout and cooked salmon).

It’s also the kind of amazingly versatile recipe you need during a pandemic when you may not be able to shop or find the exact ingredients you need and you also don’t want to waste any food.

So, for example, if you don’t have red onion, use scallion or chives or shallot or plain old yellow onion.

No matzo meal? Use dry bread crumbs. Or panko. No parsley? Substitute fresh dill, basil or thyme.

Add a fried egg, a vegetable (here I’ve shown it with asparagus but carrots, spinach, cooked kale and so on would work too) and the meal is complete.

Whitefish Cakes with Asparagus and Egg

• 2 cups mashed smoked whitefish

• 1/3 cup chopped red onion

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• 1/4 cup matzo meal

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 cup matzo meal, approximately

• 20-24 asparagus spears

• 2 tablespoons butter, margarine or vegetable oil

• 4 large eggs

Place the whitefish, red onion, parsley and 1/4 cup matzo meal in a bowl and mix briefly. Add the eggs and mix to combine the ingredients. Shape into 4 thick patties (about 1/2-inch). Place the 1/2 cup matzo meal on a dish and press the fish cakes into the matzo meal to coat both sides. Refrigerate the patties for 30-60 minutes. Heat the oven to warm (or use a warming drawer.) Heat the butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Fry the fish cakes for about 3-4 minutes per side or until crispy. While the fish cakes are frying, steam the asparagus for 3-4 minutes or until crisp tender. When the asparagus are cooked, place equal amounts on dinner plates and top each with a fish cake. Keep warm in the oven or warming drawer. Heat the remaining tablespoon butter; when it has melted add the eggs and fry until desired consistency. Place one egg on top of each asparagus-topped fish cake.

Makes 4 servings

Bluefish Cakes with Sun Dried Tomatoes

I only know one other person besides me who likes bluefish. And he only likes it because he goes fishing for them and he likes the fishing so he tolerates the eating part.

My husband Ed, who rarely complains about anything I cook and will eat almost everything I cook, complains about bluefish and won’t eat it. So I make some for myself sometimes when he is out at dinnertime.

Then, if there are any leftovers I make those into something for myself too because Ed won’t eat any of the leftovers either.

Obviously people do eat bluefish because it’s always for sale at the fish store at this time of year. Granted  this fish is relatively cheap but you don’t eat food just because it’s cheap. Not bluefish anyway; there are other, more popular choices in the inexpensive category.

For all of you out there, unknown to me, I know you’re there, loving bluefish as much as I do — here’s what I did recently with some of the leftovers: I made them into fishcakes with sun dried tomatoes and potatoes.

They were spectacular. Soft inside, with crispy crusts, and that tangy taste from the tomatoes. I used bluefish of course but any leftover fish would do.

Bluefish Cakes with Sun Dried Tomatoes

2 medium Yukon gold potatoes

2 cups crumbled cooked bluefish (or any leftover fish)

1 large egg

1 thick scallion, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped black imported olives

1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

all-purpose flour for dredging, about 1/4 cup

2 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoon olive oil

lemon quarters

Cut the potatoes into large chunks and cook them in lightly salted water for 12-15 minutes or until tender. Drain under cold water and peel. Mash the potatoes and place them in a bowl. Add the fish, egg, scallion, olives, tomatoes, parsley, mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Mix the ingredients to distribute them evenly. Shape portions of the mixture into 4 patties about 1/2-thick. Dredge the patties in the flour and shake off excess. Heat the butter and olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and looks foamy, add the patties and cook for about 3 minutes per side or until hot, crispy and golden brown. Serve garnished with lemon quarters. Makes 4 servings

Salmon Latkes with Lemon-Scented Mayo on Matzo

Half a lifetime went by before I understood the unique wonderfulness of sandwiches on matzo. As a kid I felt awkward and embarrassed bringing cream cheese and jelly or egg salad sandwiches on matzo in my school lunch.

No matter that several other kids did the same thing. I thought it was weird and I hated it.

Nevertheless, even then I had to confess, if only to myself, that those sandwiches were really really good. The crunch and crispiness of matzo was perfection against anything soft inside. So if it was anything creamy or tender, like tuna or chicken salad, well, that was good. If weird.

Roast beef? Not so much. Too hard to chew a piece while at the same time trying to keep the matzo from crumbling into a million pieces.

My Mom sometimes made salmon latkes to eat on matzo. I would never bring this to school. Much too weird I thought. Too fishy. It might smell.

Kids are embarrassed by those sorts of things.

But at home? Well, salmon latkes on matzo (with a dollop of lemon-scented mayo) is a real treat.

Try it for yourself!

SALMON LATKES WITH LEMON-SCENTED MAYO ON MATZO

• · 2 cups mashed cooked salmon

• · 2 large eggs

• · 1/2 cup matzo meal

• · 1 small grated onion, optional

• · 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, optional

• · salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• · vegetable oil

• · mayonnaise

• · lemon juice

• · grated fresh lemon peel

• · matzos

In a bowl, mix the salmon, eggs, matzo meal, onion, if used, dill and salt and pepper to taste until well combined. Heat about 1/8-inch vegetable oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Shape the salmon mixture into 8-10 cakes. Fry for 2-3 minutes per side or until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Eat plain or with Lemon-Mayo on Matzo.

Makes 8-10

For each portion Lemon-Mayo, mix mayonnaise (2 tablespoons) with 2 teaspoons lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel per portion. Spread on a half piece of matzo, top with one salmon latke.