Clotted Cream and Smoked Mackerel Fishcakes with Dill and Dijon Mustard
My kids love a fishcake for tea. Always have. These are so easy to make, you can adjust the heat by using more or less mustard. Likewise herbs, add more or less, parsley or chervil or tarragon are all good here too. So too the smoked fish, hot smoked trout or salmon are also good, but mackerel is delicious and economical. I’ve used cornflakes to coat, because everyone was refusing to eat them and they needed using up, use breadcrumbs if you prefer? As for the clotted cream, sweet and creamy, it also fries up beautifully coating the fishcake in the final throws of the cook time. Enjoy.
INGREDIENTS
Makes 9 fishcakes
1kg of boiled floury potatoes, drained
250g smoked mackerel, stripped from skin, boned and shredded
50g clotted cream, plus extra to fry, if you want to!
Large tsp dijon mustard, plus extra to serve
1 egg
Small bunch of dill, finely chopped
4 spring onions, very finely chopped
Zest of a lemon, remainder cut into wedges to serve
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cornflakes or use breadcrumbs, enough to coat
2 tbsp neutral oil to fry
METHOD
Boil the potatoes until tender, drain and steam dry in a colander for 5 minutes until cool enough to mash. I used a potato ricer.
Put the potatoes in a bowl, add the spring onions and dill and lemon zest. Shred the smoked mackerel and mix briefly to combine.
In a small bowl whisk clotted cream, dijon mustard and egg together. Add this to the potato mix. Mix well to combine.
Put the cornflakes, or breadcrumbs on a tray and shape the fishcakes, about the size of a tangerine, flatten into a disk shape, then coat well in the tray.
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Get a non stick frying pan hot over a high heat, add a splash of oil and add the fishcakes, cook in batches if you need to. They are fragile, flip carefully. Reduce the heat and cook until piping hot throughout. You can also start frying, then put them in at hot 180C oven to continue cooking and heat through, whichever way you prefer.
With the fish cakes piping hot and the crumb nicely golden, you can now add another extra spoon of clotted cream here to bubble and coat the fishcake to finish cooking as I do in the reel. It’s delicious as the cream bubbles and caramelises around the fishcakes!
Remove from the heat and serve with lemon squeezed over and more mustard if you like.