HOT PEPPERED COD CAKES
Prep Time 30 minutes - Serves 4 Main or 8 Appetizer
INGREDIENTS
- 4 peppercorns
- 10 dashes of your favorite hot sauce (adjust to your own heat level)
- 1 bay leaf
- 12 mixed color cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 lemon, cut into eight pieces
- 1 pound cod fillets
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- (Seasoning) - 1 teaspoon hot paprika and 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ bunch fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup canola oil
DIRECTIONS
- Fill a wide shallow, pan with high sides with about an inch and ½ of water and set it over high heat. Add the peppercorns, bay leaf and 1 section of the lemon to the water and allow it to come to a slow simmer. Place the fish into this poaching liquid, and cook, to a slow simmer, until the flesh begins to whiten all the way through, about 6 minutes. Use a wide spatula to carefully remove the fish from the water, set aside too cool.
- Empty the pan, and return it to the stove, over medium-high heat. Add the butter, allow it to melt in the pan, then add the celery, onions and garlic, and sauté, until the vegetables soften, and the onions turn translucent, then remove and put into a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, mustard, eggs, salt, hot sauce, pepper and seasoning, and add mixture to the bowl with the sautéed vegetables, pour in the Panko breadcrumbs and stir to combine. Add the parsley and stir again.
- Flake the cooked Cod into the binding sauce carefully, then gather them into small balls, and form them into patties, 4 for a main course (8 for an appetizer). Place them on a sheet pan or platter, cover loosely with plastic wrap and transfer them to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
- Set a large sauté pan over high heat and add and add oil. When the oil is shimmering, remove the fish cakes from the refrigerator, and sauté the patties until they are golden brown, approximately 4 minutes a side.
- Plate and place mixed cherry tomatoes halves and the remaining lemon wedges as garnish.
Enjoy!
