Lemon-Crumbed-Fish-Cake

High in omega-3 essential fatty acids and protein, fish cakes are not only utterly delicious, but are also full of superior nutritional values making it one dinner treat that’s definitely nice but most certainly not naughty. Wheeler’s Executive Chef Gavin Gleeson reveals the secret recipe to one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes.

INGREDIENTS | Fish Cakes Serves 4

  • 450g mixed fish of your liking or trimmings (I like salmon, smoked haddock and cod)
  • 100g prawns
  • ½ an onion
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 150ml milk
  • 350g fresh mashed potatoes
  •  2 finely grated lemons zest
  • 1tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • 1tbsp chives, chopped
  • 4 eggs
  • Flour, for shaping
  • 85g fresh white breadcrumbs

Wasabi Mayonnaise

  • 100g mayonnaise
  • ½ lemon, juice of
  • 30g wasabi paste

Garnish

  • 100g mixed herbs, leaves and cress
  • 30g candied ginger

METHOD 

  • Lay the fish and bay leaves in a pot. Pour over the milk, bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for four minutes. Take off the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes to gently finish cooking the fish.
  • Lift the fish out of the milk with a slotted spoon and put on a plate to cool. Reserve half the milk and chill.
  • Place the prawns in a food processer and blend to a smooth paste, season.
  • In a large bowl add the prawn paste, lemon zest, parsley and chives to the mashed potatoes and mix well. Season well with salt and pepper. The potato should have a good flavour, so taste and adjust to suit.
  • Drain off liquid from the fish, grind some pepper over it, then flake it into big chunks into the bowl of potatoes. Using your hands, gently lift the fish and potatoes together so they just mix. You’ll only need a couple of turns, or the fish will break up too much. Put to one side and cool.
  • Beat the egg and the chilled milk. Put in a bowl. Place the breadcrumbs and flour in two separate bowls.
  • Divide the fish cake mixture into four, with floured hands, carefully shape into four cakes, about 2.5cm thick.
  • One by one, place each cake in the flour, then egg and then bread crumb fully coating in each mixture. Repeat with each cake again.
  • Deep fry the cakes in a fryer for approx 12 minutes at 170 degrees or until hot in the middle and golden brown on the outside.
  • Mix the wasabi, lemon juice and mayonnaise for the wasabi mayonnaise.
  • Remove the fish cake and drain on paper towel, serve as shown with the candied ginger and leaves.

Alternatively try the dish yourself at Wheeler’s, DIFC, http://wheelersdubai.com/, (04) 3860899