Staring into the cupboard where I keep my tinned and bottled goods my eyes fell on a jar of tuna. It almost pushed itself towards me, ready to make fishcakes with leftover mashed potato winking at me from the fridge. I also happened to have a little packet of dill in the fridge but flat leaf parsley or tarragon would be good alternatives. I particularly like the Ortiz bonito del norte packed in olive oil and rely on it for all sorts of dishes (and save the jars for marmalade and jam). It isn’t the cheapest option but I think it’s worth it’s high price tag although the (almost) comparable Waitrose Albacore tuna is far cheaper. The recipe could be adapted for tinned sardines or crab.
Serves 2
Prep: 20 min plus 30 min chilling
Cook: 25 min
4 spring onions or 1 small, trimmed leek
10g butter
300g mashed potato
1 egg
flour
small bunch dill
220g jar white tuna fillets in olive oil
100g fresh or panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Finely slice the spring onions or quarter the leek lengthways then across to make small scraps. Melt the butter in a frying pan and soften the onion or leek with a pinch of salt. Place the mash in a mixing bowl. Separate the egg, the white into a second mixing bowl, and work the yolk into the mash with a fork. Dust with 1 tbsp flour and mix again. Add chopped dill, contents of the onion pan and tuna fillets (not oil). Break up the fish whilst mixing everything thoroughly with the fork. Dust with a further 1 tbsp flour, break the mix in four and use floured hands to form into 4 equal pieces, patting and rolling between your hands to make 4 fish cakes. I pat the sides too, so they end up flat. Dust lightly with flour, cover with a stretch of clingfilm and chill for about 20 minutes. Spread out the breadcrumbs on a plate. Heat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Lightly whisk the egg white until it forms little bubbles but is still liquid and pass a fish cake through the egg and press into the crumbs to cover. Chill again. Fry in hot oil for 2-3 minutes to brown, then transfer to a hot oven (where you are probably cooking chips) and leave for about 5 minutes to heat through. Serve immediately.