Crab and cod fishcakes with tomato salsa

Preparation time

30 mins to 1 hour

cooking time

30 mins to 1 hour

Serves

Serves 6

Mary Berry adds just enough spice to her fishcakes to make sure the delicate flavour of the crabmeat shines through. Serve them with a simple tomato salsa for a tasty supper.

Mary Berry recipes
From Mary Berry's Absolute Favourites

Ingredients

For the fishcakes

• 500g/1lb 2oz floury potatoes, peeled and diced
• 500g/1lb 2oz cod loin, skinned
• 6 spring onions, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp full-fat mayonnaise
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 130g/4¾oz dressed crab or 100g/3½oz mixed fresh crabmeat
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• dash of hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
• 100g/3½oz Japanese panko breadcrumbs
• knob of butter, plus extra for greasing
• 1 tbsp oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salsa

• 6 firm tomatoes, deseeded, diced
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.

2. Put the potatoes in a saucepan of salted water and bring to the boil. Boil for 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain well and mash. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

3. Grease a sheet of foil with the butter and put the cod loin in the centre, season with salt and pepper and wrap in the foil to make a parcel. Put on a baking tray and cook for 20 minutes, or until just cooked through. Set aside to cool. When completely cool, carefully flake the fish into large pieces. Reserve the cooking juices.

4. Spoon the cold mash into a bowl, mix in the spring onions, mayonnaise and mustard. Add 2 tablespoons of the fish cooking juice, then add the flaked cod and stir in the crabmeat. Add the parsley and hot pepper sauce and stir until combined. Season to taste.

5. Shape the mixture into 8 fishcakes, roughly 9cm/3½ in diameter, this is easiest with damp hands. Place on a tray and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.

6. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on a plate and coat each fishcake. Return to the tray and chill again in the fridge for 30 minutes.

7. Meanwhile for the salsa, mix all the ingredients together and season with salt and pepper.

8. Heat a wide, heavy-based frying pan, add the butter and oil and fry the fishcakes over a high heat for 4 minutes on each side, or until golden-brown all over. When frying, it’s best not to overcrowd the pan, cook in two batches, if necessary.

9. Serve hot with the tomato salsa and a simple dressed salad.

Recipe Tips

Tip 1: The fishcakes can be kept in the fridge for up to a day before frying.

Tip 2: The uncooked fishcakes can be frozen. Wrap each in cling film and put in a polythene bag. Defrost completely and fry as needed.

Tip 3: You can get large pieces of cod loin from a fishmonger, or simply use smaller cod fillets to make it up to the right weight.