Show #217

Need a little special handling, but really worth it…one of our most popular recipes

Ingredients:

3 tbsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper, brunoise
1 yellow bell pepper, brunoise
1/2 cup ground potato "bread" crackers, or cracker of your choice
1 lb smoked whitefish, boned
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
1/4 cup fresh mayonnaise, or commercial product of your choice
2 tbsp "Old Bay" seasoning
2 hickory smoked jalapeno chilis, or to taste, seeded and chopped fine
2 tbsp roasted garlic puree
freshly ground black pepper to taste

accompaniments:

jalapeno mayonnaise or mayonnaise flavored with mustard or horseradish .

Directions:

In a skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and saute bell peppers until softened. Cool peppers.

In a bowl stir together bell peppers, coriander, mayonnaise, "Old Bay" seasoning, jalapeno, garlic, 2 tablespoons bread crumbs, black pepper, and salt to taste until combined well. Then gently fold in the whitefish trying to keep the pieces as whole as possible and chill 20 minutes.

With a 2-ounce ice-cream scoop or 1/4-cup measure, scoop fish mixture into 8 portions and pat each into 3/4-inch-thick disk. Spread remaining bread crumbs on a sheet of wax paper and gently press each whitefish cake into them, turning it, to coat evenly. To help prevent crumbling during cooking chill whitefish cakes, covered loosely, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a 12-inch skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and saute half of whitefish cakes until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn the cakes carefully and brown other sides. Transfer sauteed whitefish cakes carefully to a baking sheet. Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet and saute remaining whitefish cakes in same manner. On baking sheet bake all whitefish cakes 6 minutes, or until heated through.

Serve white fish cakes with jalapeno mayonnaise.

NOTE: These whitefish cakes are made with lots of smoked whitefish and not much filler, they require gentle handling during cooking.