Fish Cakes
Instructions:
- 1 pound cod fillet
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 scallions, finely chopped, including some of the green part
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained and minced
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 sardines, drained and chopped
- ¼ cup whole-wheat or all-purpose flour
- 1 cup dried whole-grain bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill (or 1 teaspoon dried dill)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Lemon wedges
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and vegetable broth and tilt the pan to coat. Add the cod fillet. Cook until the fish is cooked through and flakes nicely, about 15 minutes, flipping the fillet halfway through cooking. If the fish falls apart into the vegetable broth, that’s fine—you’ll be flaking it apart anyway.
- Remove the cooked cod to a large mixing bowl and flake apart with a fork. Cod is a firm-fleshed fish, so if a fork isn’t working very well, don’t be afraid to get in there with your fingers and rub the fish to break up the big chunks.
- Add the scallions, capers, sardines, garlic, and flour. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs and cheese. Add 1â„2 cup of the bread crumb mixture to the fish. Stir to combine.
- Mix the eggs with a fork in a small bowl or cup, then add the eggs and dill to the fish mixture. Stir thoroughly until the mixture resembles a thick paste.
- Spread remaining 1â„2 cup bread crumbs on a large plate.
- Dust your hands with a little flour, and take about 1â„16 of the mixture in your hands. Shape it into a patty, then press the patty into the bread crumb mixture, coating both sides. Repeat with remaining mixture to make six patties.
- To fry: Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet, just large enough to hold the six patties (or a smaller one, doing the patties in batches, although if you do it this way, you may have to add more olive oil). Turn burner to medium, and heat until the oil releases its aroma, about 5 minutes. Place patties in pan and cook until golden brown and crispy, flipping once, about 5 minutes on each side.
- To bake: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Rub a thin layer of olive oil on a cookie sheet, or spray with olive oil nonstick cooking spray. Place patties on the cookie sheet so they don’t touch one another. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown on both sides, flipping patties halfway through cooking time.
- Serve hot, room temperature, or cold, with or without a salad, or stuffed in a pita with fresh spinach