Fish cakes are a great option for serving fish to a large group or when you have to cook in advance. For holidays, a Progressive dinner or a pot luck, you can make these ahead and gently reheat for the meal. They are much easier than trying to perfectly time a piece of fish which might give you 30 seconds before it goes from under to over cooked. You can go crazy with spices, herbs and other falvors to make them a treat. The Jeruselum cookbook has a great recipe. I love fish cakes because t
I knew as soon as I started preparing this that it wouldn't hold together, and indeed I was right. The flavor is very nice, but it needs some eggs to bind it. (I even tried to add some mayonnaise, but it didn't work.)
Just tried these tonight - I'm an old and experienced cook. Nice flavor, but they did not hold together at all, and so there was too much oil. Headed for the antacids!
"For the most part, though, salt cod has ... so many wonderful Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and French dishes that feature it."
The Burt Wolf travel series last week on PBS was of Basque country cuisine, from Bilbao to San Sebastian and the camino to Santiago. Many dishes are based on cod, which the Basque fished from the Grand Banks near Newfoundland.
The Burt Wolf travel series last week on PBS was of Basque country cuisine, from Bilbao to San Sebastian and the camino to Santiago. Many dishes are based on cod, which the Basque fished from the Grand Banks near Newfoundland.
Salt cod is ubiquitous throughout the Caribbean.
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And in the many NYC neighborhoods where people from the islands live.
Please do print the canned salmon/cornflake version. In addition to being a culinary curiosity, as you note, it is a part of the spectrum, and might be of interest for those cooking for the very young, or very old.
Here is the real Midwestern deal, my family's version with the cornflakes in, not coating, the patties:
Open one 10 to 12 oz. can of salmon, do not remove bones and skin but in a two quart bowl mash the salmon until it is in flakes.
Grab corn flakes equal to a little less than half of the volume of the salmon. Mash them in your hand until each cornflake is in about 4 pieces. Add to the salmon and mix well.
Break 2 eggs into a small bowl and beat with a fork until whites and yolks are thoroughly mixed together. Add to the salmon and cornflake mixture and mix well. The consistency should resemble hamburger.
Form into 4 or 5 patties about 1.5 inches thick. Fry in Crisco shortening in a medium skillet until crisp.
Open one 10 to 12 oz. can of salmon, do not remove bones and skin but in a two quart bowl mash the salmon until it is in flakes.
Grab corn flakes equal to a little less than half of the volume of the salmon. Mash them in your hand until each cornflake is in about 4 pieces. Add to the salmon and mix well.
Break 2 eggs into a small bowl and beat with a fork until whites and yolks are thoroughly mixed together. Add to the salmon and cornflake mixture and mix well. The consistency should resemble hamburger.
Form into 4 or 5 patties about 1.5 inches thick. Fry in Crisco shortening in a medium skillet until crisp.
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The richly colorful contrasts in this dish are extremely attractive and I can easily understand why many folks will make some version of this recipe. That said, [fill in seafood of choice ] cakes one of the few seafood forms that I absolutely refuse. My aversion also results from childhood memories of horrible cooking and a take it or leave it attitude. Nearly always Left Coast residents and plenty of fresh fish and other sea critters available year-round, using otherwise excellent fish this way always struck me as abuse of the food. I can easily appreciate why some people find 'caked' fish delicious, but I'm just not one of them. To repeat myself a bit, the color contrasts in this recipe have huge visual appeal and for those who like 'caked' seafood, the wide mix of flavors is very attractive. I'm thinking about other kinds of protein that could be substituted for the fish.
As an aside, several years ago I tried to find a little Salt Cod for an experiment. My parents and grand parents has eaten a lot of it during the Great Depression, but I never had. It was difficult to find, expensive enough to remind one of caviar and I eventually tossed in my dish towel. for a child of the late 40s, Salt Cod has already gone the way of canned veggies in favor of fresh-frozen, and had apparently already vanished from the market place - and our tables. As times change, so do tastes!
As an aside, several years ago I tried to find a little Salt Cod for an experiment. My parents and grand parents has eaten a lot of it during the Great Depression, but I never had. It was difficult to find, expensive enough to remind one of caviar and I eventually tossed in my dish towel. for a child of the late 40s, Salt Cod has already gone the way of canned veggies in favor of fresh-frozen, and had apparently already vanished from the market place - and our tables. As times change, so do tastes!
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Thank you Mr Tanis for codfish cakes there are no alternatives, growing up we called it Fish Cakes, Accra, or beignet de morue. No lightly smoked cod and all that junk. It's made with dry cod.
Here in New York I see salt cod (bacalao) all over, even in Costco.
Salted cod, properly "desalted" makes excellent fish cakes - the texture is firm and the taste complex
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1. To enhance the taste profile, try using smoked haddock for one-third or half of the fish quantity. Poach it the same way as suggested along with the cod or other white fish. Smoked haddock is typically available at The Lobster Place at Chelsea Market -- http://lobsterplace.com/products/smoked-haddock.
2. To hold the fishcake together more effectively, omit the soaking of the breadcrumbs. Instead, add a couple of tablespoons of heavy cream and a large egg to the mix of herbs.