The Best Smoked Haddock Fish Cakes.

I'm having a slight regression back to the meals of my childhood - chicken kiev and now fish cakes.  Like my chicken kievs, these fish cakes are so simple to make and so much more delicious and wholesome than anything you could buy in a supermarket.   And as a bonus they take me back to the rustic equivalents served in flashy gastropubs in London, although are more delicious and about a quarter of the price.

The recipe makes 4 medium sized fish cakes (2 for him, one for me and one for lunch the next day), but you could always make 8 and serve them as a starter.  Yum, yum, yum.

Ingredients (makes 4)

2 smoked haddock fillets (I cooked mine straight from frozen)
200 ml whole milk
1 tbsp butter
2 medium all rounder potatoes
2 hard boiled eggs, shelled and finely chopped
1 lemon, juice and zest
2 tsp horseradish sauce
a large handful of fresh fennel or dill
a large handful of parsley
salt and black pepper
breadcrumbs for coating
4 tbsp olive oil for frying

Method

1. Place the haddock fillets in a deep frying pan and cover with the milk, bring to the boil and then turn down the heat and cover with a lid.  Allow to simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and allow to cook in the heat for a further 3 minutes.  Remove the fish from the milk, brake up into flakes, and reserve the milk.
2. Chop the potato in half an cook in large saucepan of boiling water until tender.  Remove from the saucepan and place in a large bowl.  Add the reserved milk, the butter and mash well.
3. Add the flaked haddock to the potato mixture, along with all the remaining ingredients bar the breadcrumbs.  Mix well.  It should be quite a sticky mix but if it isn't wet enough add a little more milk.

4. Divide the mixture into 4 balls and shape into discs...

Gently press breadcrumbs all over the fish cakes, the mixture is quite wet so they should stick well.  You can leave them covered in a the fridge at this stage for 12 hours.

5. When ready to serve, heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the fishcakes, cook on a moderate heat for 5 minutes on each side, or until the breadcrumbs are crisp and golden and the cakes are hot throughout.  Allow to drain for a moment on kitchen paper.  Alternatively you could bake them on a greased baking tray for 20 minutes at 180C.

Serve with some steamed broccoli.  Divine and so easy.