Smoked fish cakes with nasturtium crumbs

Nasturtium flowers add a slight peppery bite to these crisp, smoky fish cakes, served warm with a tangy lemon mayonnaise for dipping.

Recipe «Smoked fish cakes with nasturtium crumbs» presented in category Recipes / Fish, to prepare this dish you will need no more 20 minutes. To make this dish at home by prescription from the author Gomer would need: 500g undyed smoked cod*, 2 cups milk, 1 bay leaf, 1 tbs sunflower oil, plus extra to deep-fry, 1 onion, finely chopped , 1 garlic clove, finely chopped, 500g pontiac or desiree potatoes, peeled, quartered, 30g unsalted butter , 2 eggs, lightly beaten, 1 egg yolk, extra, 20 nasturtium flowers and leaves, 2 cups panko breadcrumbs, 1 1/4 cups grated parmesan, 2 cups plain flour, seasoned, 1 cup whole-egg mayonnaise, 2 tbs lemon juice.

Ingredients:

• 500g undyed smoked cod* 
• 2 cups milk 
• 1 bay leaf 
• 1 tbs sunflower oil, plus extra to deep-fry 
• 1 onion, finely chopped 
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 
• 500g pontiac or desiree potatoes, peeled, quartered 
• 30g unsalted butter 
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten 
• 1 egg yolk, extra 
• 20 nasturtium flowers and leaves 
• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs 
• 1 1/4 cups grated parmesan 
• 2 cups plain flour, seasoned 
• 1 cup whole-egg mayonnaise 
• 2 tbs lemon juice 

Instructions

1. Place fish, flesh-side down, in a large frypan with the milk and bay leaf, and poach over medium-low heat for 6 minutes or until tender. Strain into a bowl, reserving the poaching liquid and discarding the bay leaf. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a frypan over medium heat and cook onion and garlic for 1-2 minutes until soft.
3. Place potato in a saucepan of cold salted water and bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 12 minutes or until tender. Drain, then mash with butter and enough of the reserved fish poaching liquid to just moisten, keeping the mixture quite stiff. Season, then add the onion mixture and egg yolk. Flake the fish (discarding skin and any bones) and stir into potato mixture. Shape into 12 patties.
4. Set aside 10 nasturtium flowers for the salad, then tear the remainder into small pieces and combine with breadcrumbs (or briefly pulse flowers and breadcrumbs in a small food processor). Add the parmesan and stir to combine.
5. Dust fish cakes first in seasoned flour, shaking off excess, then coat in beaten egg, then in breadcrumb mixture. Chill for 15 minutes to firm up.
6. Meanwhile, combine mayonnaise with lemon juice and a little warm water to form a loose dressing. Place nasturtium leaves and reserved flowers in a bowl. Set aside.
7. Half-fill a deep-fryer or large saucepan with oil and heat to 190°C (a cube of bread will turn golden in 30 seconds when the oil is hot enough). Working in batches, deep-fry the fish cakes for 11/2 minutes or until golden. Drain on paper towel and keep warm until all fish cakes are cooked.
8. Serve warm fish cakes with nasturtium salad and lemon mayonnaise, to drizzle.