Fish Cakes with Potato and Tartar Sauce

This is my favourite fish cake recipe - something very Atlantic-Canadian. These traditional fish cakes are crispy, seasoned to perfection and taste like home - comfort food at it’s finest. This recipe works with salt cod, fresh fish, fresh salmon, any white fish, even cans of tuna or salmon - the possibilities are endless.

2 Tbsp. butter
1 lb cod filet, boneless or 2 cups leftover cooked white fish
sea salt
black pepper, freshly cracked
2 cups potato, boiled and mashed
1 large egg
1 green onion, white and green parts, minced
¾-1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (I grate a frozen bun on a box grater)
¼ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
5 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Tartar Sauce:
½ cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1½ Tbsp. brined capers
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
1 green onion, white and green parts, minced
sea salt

Make the Fish Cakes:
Heat 2 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cod, season with salt and pepper; cook until just barely opaque and flakey - better to ever so slightly undercook the fish than overcook it at this stage, as you'll be cooking it again in the cakes.

Transfer to a bowl and break into large flakes with your hands. Add mashed potato, egg, green onion and enough breadcrumbs so that the mixture holds a patty shape (if using leftover mash with milk or other liquid added, you'll definitely need the whole cup of crumbs). Use your hands or a big spoon to work everything together until well-combined.

Place flour on a shallow plate. Form potato mixture into 16 equal patties between the palms of your hands, dredging both sides in the flour and transferring to a baking sheet as you go. Refrigerate fish cakes 20 minutes to firm them up.

Make the Tartar Sauce:
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, whisking together with a fork. Season with salt to taste.

Cook the Fish Cakes:
Remove the fish cakes from the fridge. Wipe out the fish skillet and return to medium heat; add remaining oil. When shimmering hot, add several fish cakes - you'll need to cook them in a few batches to avoid over-crowding the pan.

Serve with tartar sauce.

Makes 16 fish cakes.