COD & POTATO CAKE — Wellness Ceremony

When I lived in Chicago during my days in Wicked one of the crew guys recommended I check out this little place called Avec in the west loop. French, the food rich and rustic, communal tables, all the things I love. It was also during this time in Chicago that I had fallen completely in love with food and hospitality and this place would be the reason I dove deep into the world of food when I moved back to NYC. I would visit so often between shows on the weekends watching the line cooks rapidly placing dishes to roast around the wood fire hearth behind the counter they were probably wondering when I would ask to join. That first bite of the rich garlicky briney flavor of the brandade (an emulsion of salt cod, olive oil, and potatoes) over grilled bread has been cemented into my heart ever since. Brandade is a perfect French Provence spread and when spooned onto a piece of grilled bread and passed around the table, I can’t think of a better way to start a meal.

I rarely make brandade at home and salt cod can be a little tricky to find but something that reminds me of the same taste is a Cod & Potato Cake. It’s just as wonderful, compares to the flavor profile of brandade, and makes for a main course opposed to just an appetizer - although they can certainly be an appetizer too. This recipe I’m sure made its way into every home kitchen in the northeast by the late nineteenth century. And for good reason, it’s straight up cozy and delicious. I just tweaked it a little for my liking. For me, it’s the rustic food I imagined my Irish/English ancestors would have eaten at the pub in the middle of winter, washed down with a pint. There are a few steps involved, nothing too crazy, and once you see how easy it is, you’ll want to make it again.

Serve them hot and crispy with a side of tartar or chutney. Pairs wonderfully over a plate of greens or lentils. Here I made a quick quinoa, apple, and parsley salad which I’ll add to the blog later this week.

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds cod (or any flaky white fish like haddock, hake, or halibut)

1 ½ pounds yukon gold or baby gold potatoes

1 ½ cups milk

1 teaspoon whole or cracked peppercorns (optional)

1 small onion, chopped

4 scallions, sliced thin

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons butter

½ lemon, zested, save the rest for garnish

2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce

3 tablespoons parsley, chopped

3 eggs (1 for fish cake mixture, 2 for dredging)

2 cups bread crumbs

Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

Avocado oil or any neutral oil like grapeseed

Tartar sauce (or equal parts grain mustard and mayo mixture)

Method

1. Peel your potatoes and add them to a saucepan with water that covers them by at least a ½ inch. Add a generous pinch of salt to the water. Bring to a boil then simmer 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. In a large bowl, mash them and generously season with salt and pepper, set aside to cool. I used a ricer for the potatoes as I've found it makes them a little fluffier but a potato masher works just as well. Sometimes I prefer the more rustic mash version so I get bits of whole potato in every bite.

2. Put the fish, milk, and peppercorns in a saucepan (I used pink peppercorns to add a subtle heat flavor to the fish but it’s not necessary if you don’t have them). Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook the fish until flaky, 5-10 minutes. Once the fish is white all the way through, remove from heat, drain the milk and flake the fish with a fork into chunks.

3. Put a small skillet over medium-high heat with the butter, onions, scallions, and garlic and cook until soft, 3-5 minutes.

4. Time to add all the ingredients together. Beat one of the eggs and add it along with the riced potatoes, flaked fish, and onion mixture. Stir in the worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, lemon zest, and give it a good stir. Take a small taste and add more salt if necessary. Set in the fridge to cool for 20 minutes.

5. Once cooled, form the patties into 3 inch by 1 inch disks.

6. Beat the last 2 eggs in a small bowl and put the breadcrumbs in a second bowl. Dip the patties in the beaten eggs and then the breadcrumbs.

7. I’ve found that they hold their shape a bit better if you pop the patties in the freezer for 20 mins to firm up before frying them.

8. Heat a thin layer of oil in a frying pan or cast iron, adding more in batches if needed. Fry the patties until golden brown and heated through, making sure there is enough oil swirling around the pan to give them a nice crust.

9. Move the cakes to a paper towel and sprinkle with sea salt, remaining parsley, and a squeeze of lemon and serve. Tartar sauce pairs great with these but I like to mix equal parts of grain mustard and mayo for a quick dipping sauce.