Our book review page in this issue features titles about Canada’s east coast maritime provinces. To tie into this theme, we went looking for recipes from the region, and found a new cookbook with the perfect title: Best Recipes of the Maritime Provinces. Here are two traditional fish cake recipes that are simple enough that you could make them with your students as part of an east coast unit. Or you could just enjoy them yourself as a quick and easy dinner at home!
Excerpted from Best Recipes of the Maritime Provinces by Elizabeth Baird, Formac Publishing, 2012. ISBN 9781459501300
Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.
Fish Cakes
Seawind Landing Country Inn
Charlos Cove, N.S.
At Seawind Landing, located in a beautiful seaside location in Guysborough Country, Nova Scotia, these authentic Maritime fish cakes are served for a hearty breakfast.
- 1 pound salt cod
- 11⁄2 cup finely diced onions
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 cups mashed potatoes
- 1⁄4 teaspoon dried summer savory
- 1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1⁄2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 large egg, beaten
- Pepper to taste
- Butter, to fry
1. Soak fish 8 to 10 hours in cold water, changing water 4 to 5 times. Drain well.
2. Boil fish until tender and flaky, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Drain and flake.
4. Sauté onions in butter until soft, set aside.
5. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, fish, onions, savory, thyme, parsley and egg.
6. Season to taste, being careful not to over salt.
7. Let cool and form into patties.
8. Pan-fry in butter or oil until golden brown.
Serves 6 to 8
Traditional Breaded Fish Cakes
Gaffer’s Bistro, WHITEHALL COUNTRY INN
Clarenville, NFLD.
Chef Chris Sheppard who served these at his restaurant, Gaffer’s Bistro, says that you can prepare these fish cakes ahead and freeze them. Then when unexpected company arrives, you can impress them with an instant fish cake meal.
- 5 ounces fresh cod
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1⁄2 cup finely diced onions
- 1⁄2 cup finely diced celery
- 2 cups mashed potatoes
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1⁄4 cup milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups fine dry breadcrumbs
1. Place cod in pan, cover with water and simmer 8 to 10 minutes over medium heat, until fish flakes easily.
2. In 1 tablespoon of the butter, sauté onions and celery until soft.
3. In large bowl, combine cod, potatoes, onion mixture, salt and pepper.
4. Let cool, and form into patties.
5. Combine eggs and milk.
6. Set up breading station: 3 bowls left to right, first flour, then egg mixture, then breadcrumbs. Dip cakes in flour, shake off excess, dip in egg mixture, then coat in breadcrumbs.
7. Pan-fry in remaining butter until golden brown on each side.
Serves 6
This article is from Canadian Teacher Magazine’s Nov/Dec 2012 issue.
