Crispy Fishcakes, Garden Pea Crush & Sweet Potato Wedges
From Ainsley’s Food We Love, ITV
I always loved getting a couple of crispy fishcakes from the chippie when I was a kid. These easy fishcakes are great for a weeknight meal and I’m serving them with sweet potato wedges and a minted pea crush – a vibrant alternative to mushy peas.
Method
Preheat the oven to 220C/200Cfan/Gas 7
Cook the potatoes in boiling water for 10-12 until just tender. Drain well and leave to steam dry in the colander for a few minutes. Press the potato through a potato ricer or mash with a fork leaving a few lumps if you like a little bit of texture. Beat in the butter, parsley and a little seasoning and set aside to cool.
Grill, poach or bake the fish in foil until just cooked but still nice and moist. Cut into chunks, being careful to remove any skin and bones.
Add the fish pieces, spring onions, lemon zest and cayenne to the mashed potato with the mayonnaise or sour cream and mix until well combined. Season to taste. Divide the mixture into balls and use your hands to shape into 4 or 8 even sized cakes. Place the seasoned flour and breadcrumbs on to separate plates and the beaten egg on a third. Dust the fish cakes with the seasoned flour, dip in the beaten egg, then coat in the breadcrumbs, making sure they are fully covered. If you have the time, arrange the cakes on a lined baking sheet and put in the fridge to firm up for 20 minutes.
Put the sweet potato wedges into a bowl drizzle with a little oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Place on to a warmed baking tray, drizzle over the oil and season well. Toss to coat. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes (depending on the thickness of your wedges) until crispy.
Meanwhile make the Pea Crush. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a low-medium heat, add the spring onions and chilli and cook for 1 minute. Increase the heat and add the peas, stock, half the mint, a squeeze of lemon and sugar and cook for 3 minutes. Drain, reserving 2 tbsp of the cooking liquid. Put the peas into a bowl along with the reserved cooking water and mash with a potato masher or fork. Alternatively put them in a processor and pulse a couple of times until mushy but still with plenty of texture. Stir through the butter, remaining mint and lemon zest, season to taste, cover and set aside.
Heat 1-2 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and pan fry the fish cakes for about 3-4 minutes on each side until golden. If you like, add a small knob of butter to the pan a couple of minutes towards the end of cooking. Once cooked, remove to drain on kitchen paper.
To serve, arrange the fishcakes on plates with the sweet potato wedges, some minted pea crush and lemon wedges for squeezing.
Ingredients
- For the Sweet Potato Wedges
- 2 large sweet potatoes, cut into wedges
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
- For the Fishcakes
- 450g floury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- knob of butter, plus extra for frying
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 450g hake or cod fillets (or sustainable white fish alternative), skinless
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- finely grated zest of ½ lemon
- pinch of cayenne
- 1 heaped tbsp mayonnaise or soured cream
- 2 tbsp plain flour, seasoned
- 1 egg, beaten
- 100g panko or fresh white breadcrumbs
- oil for shallow frying
- For the Garden Pea Crush
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
- 1 small red chilli, deseeded, finely chopped
- 400g frozen garden peas, thawed
- 225ml vegetable stock
- good pinch of caster sugar
- 2 tbsp chopped mint leaves
- ½ lemon, juice and zest
- knob of butter
- lemon wedges, to serve