Cod and smoked salmon fishcakes

 Lots of inspiration for tonight's tea - some home grown triumphs ... broad beans and courgette ... some donated glut yellow tomatoes, an irresistible find in a punnet of heirloom tomatoes, podded peas in the organic box, and some cod fillets also from the organic delivery.  So, adding some smoked salmon from the fridge this was a delicious summery treat.

Potatoes
Butter
Cod fillets
Bay leaf
Onion
Egg
Italian breadcrumbs
Courgette
Olive oil
Broad beans
Peas
Heirloom tomatoes
Spring onion
Basil

1.  Peel and dice potatoes, boil to make the mash.
2.  Mash potatoes with butter and seasoning.  Leave to cool.
3.  Poach the cod in water, with a bay leaf and half an onion.  Don't over cook it, a few minutes simmering, then turn off the heat and let it cook gently for 10 minutes.  Remove from the water and leave to cool.
4.  Dice the courgette, put in a pan with crushed garlic and olive oil.
5.  Pod the beans and peas and put in a steamer ready for steaming.
6.  Slice the tomatoes, sprinkle with salt, finely diced spring onion and shredded basil.  Drizzle on a little good olive oil.
7.  Now assemble to fish cakes, break the smoked salmon into pieces, skin the cod and gently flake into the potato.  Mix together gently, so that the fish stays mostly in individual pieces.
8.  Chill the fish cakes for a few minutes.
9.  Whisk an egg in one bowl, put breadcrumbs in another.  Coat the fishcakes - fist in egg, then in breadcrumbs.  For a lovely crispy finish I did this twice ... egg, breadcrumbs, 5 minutes to dry, egg, breadcrumbs.
10.  Finally - turn the heat on under the courgettes and the peas and beans and fry the fishcakes in olive oil ... about 4 minutes each side - in batches, keeping them warm in the oven as you finish.
11.  Serve, scoff, smile.

Salmon fishcakes, stir fried radish and pak choi, steamed green beans

I don't much like tinned salmon - but I think it's fantastic in fishcakes.

These fishcakes are gluten free, and very simple.

There was radish, pak choi and cucumber left from the veg box, and I didn't actually quite fancy salad, so I did a bit of a stir fry.  I would recommend it.

So,  from start to finish...

Potatoes
Tinned salmon
polenta
olive oil
green beans
Onion
Bunch of radishes
Pak choi
cucumber
fennel seeds
chili flakes
celery salt
garlic
white wine


1.  Peel and boil potatoes.  Mash.
2.  Stir in drained tinned salmon and season.
3.  When cooled, squish into patties and toss in polenta.  (Put them in the fridge if you have time).
4.  Fry in olive oil, keep warm in the oven while the other stuff is finished off.
5.  Steam beans.
6.  Stir fry chopped onion in light olive oil, add pak choi stems, fennel seeds, radish, cucumber, garlic and chili flakes.

Yum. Light, fresh and filling and somehow suited today's autumnal sunshine.

Smoked mackerel fishcakes, golden beets, green beans and leeks'n'stuff

This, sadly, is a REALLY bad picture.  I am sure there's something wrong with that camera.  However, I include it as the beets were truly delicious - kind of sweet and nutty at the same time, and a beautiful texture.

 

So...

 

olive oil

4 baking potatoes

2 smoked haddock

Tarragon

6 golden beets

balsamic vinegar

8 cloves garlic - whole

leek

Courgette

white wine

green beans

egg

corn thins

1.  Wash and prick potatoes - bake at 180C for about an hour and a half.

2.  Top and tail beets to remove furry roots - bake, in skins with drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Chuck whole cloves of garlic in and seal with foil.  Bake for about an hour and a half.

After about an hour....

3.  Chop leeks and courgette, fry gently in olive oil, add splash of white wine and simmer until softish (15 mins tops)

4.  Steam green beans.

5.  Get potatoes and beets out of the oven - when they are cool enough to handle, skin them.

6.  Mash the potatoes, add flaked mackerel and chopped tarragon.

7.  Whisk egg, whizz corn thins into "not breadcrumbs" ie. gluten free

8.  Shape fishcakes, dip in egg then "not breadcrumbs" - then fry on each side for about 4 minutes.

Yum!  Enough for dinner, lunch and an extra lunch.  The garlic is sweet and tender, don't just leave it in the pan, squish it onto the fishcakes/beets.