South Wales – Hake and crayfish cake
It would be remiss not to include a fine-dining fish cake from Wales, a place with a strong fish cake tradition. This recipe, from chef Steve White at The Ruperra Arms, is for fishcakes in all their lush glory. The recipe incorporates potato, mayonnaise, crayfish, and combines them all into a beautiful crisp breadcrumb-egg crust. The chef grills baby gem lettuce and serves with arugula and adds a bright zip and sweetness of beet syrup.
Hake and crayfish fishcake with tartare and charred baby gem lettuce
Ingredients
- 700g floury potatoes, cut into large chunks
- 600ml milk
- 800g boneless hake, skin on
- 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 50 g cray fish tails
- 5 tbsp mayonnaise or tartare sauce
- 6 spring onion, finely sliced
- zest 1 lemon
- handful parsley, roughly chopped
For the coating:
- 100g plain flour, well seasoned, plus extra for your hands
- 1 egg, beaten
- 175g fresh breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil, for frying
For the garnish:
- Baby gem lettuce
- beetroot syrup
- roquette
Method
- Boil potatoes for 15-20 mins until tender. Meanwhile, place the milk in a frying pan; season well. Bring just to boiling point, then add the fish, skin side down. Gently cook for 5-10 mins, until the fish is translucent and just flaking.
- Remove the fish from the milk, discard the skin (this will come away easily) and milk, then wipe out the pan. Break the fish into large flakes, then drain on kitchen paper. When the potatoes are done, drain, return them to the pan, then briefly heat on the hob to dry them out. Mash well, stir in the mustard, mayonnaise or tartare sauce, spring onions, lemon zest, parsley, crayfish tails and flaked fish, then season well.
- Using floured hands, divide mixture into 8, then shape each portion into a large patty. Put the flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs on 3 large plates. Dip each fish cake in turn into the flour, egg and finally the breadcrumbs, shaking off any excess as you go. Sit the fish cakes on a piece of grease proof paper while you prepare the others. Heat the oil in the frying pan, then fry the fish cakes in batches for about 3 mins on each side, until golden and crisp. Keep the first batch warm in the oven while you finish cooking the rest.
- Cut your baby gem lettuce in half and char flat side down to get the marks. Serve your fishcake with the lettuce, beetroot syrup, and roquette leaves.
