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