Salmon Fish Cakes. Fast food 1950’s style
Back in my grandmother’s day, when she married in 1923, almost daily she would go
shopping to buy the food for her and my grandfather’s dinner. In the 1950’s I often use to go with her to the butcher, fishmonger, grocers, and green grocers, she would stop at the bakers to pick up one small white loaf and one small Hovis, both unsliced.
Cakes would be home homemade; soups made from home made stock, and nothing was wasted.
My grandmother often would spend over three hours, shopping, preparing, and cooking in a day, it was her role and pleasure.
On the rare occasion that my grandmother couldn’t get to the shops her “fast food” standby was made from her store cupboard, Salmon Fish cakes, her recipe was simple and easy and has stood the test of time.
Ingredients – makes 8 Fish cakes.
2x 213 grams tins of pink salmon drained and remove the bones.
650 grams potatoes preferably floury peeled and cubed.
½ cup of freshly chopped parsley
1 teas spoon salt for potatoes
½ teaspoon salt for the fish
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 spring onions cleaned & diced.
Zest of ½ lemon. (optional)
Half a lemon in wedges for serving.
50grms flour (I use gluten free)
100g homemade breadcrumbs or matzo meal
Around 5 tablespoons vegetable oil for frying
1 pinch or ¼ teaspoon Cayenne pepper optional
Method
- Boil a pan of water add half the salt, and when boiled add the potatoes, cook till
soft, drain let cool. Then mash the potatoes till they are smooth. - Open the tinned salmon, drain & remove the bones, lightly mash the salmon
roughly with a fork there needs to be a few chunks. - Put the salmon and potatoes in a bowl, add spring onions, parsley, salt pepper
lemon zest, Cayenne pepper and mix well. - Flour your hands and shape the mixture into 8 patty-shaped fishcakes, no thicker
than 2–2.5cm/¾–1in. - Put the beaten egg, matzo meal, and remaining flour into individual bowls plates or
saucers, dip each fish cake into flour, shing off any excess, egg, and finally the
matza meal or breadcrumbs. Place on a plate, cover with cling film, and put in the
fridge for at least 15 minutes to firm up, - Heat the oil in a shallow pan preferably nonstick, fry the fish cakes in batches, they
need 3-4 minutes per side till they are golden and crispy, place on kitchen towel to
drain off any access oil. - Serve warm with lemon wedges, in the winter my grandmother always served the
fish cakes with grilled tomatoes, Birds Eye peas and mashed carrots, in the
summer with homemade hand chopped coleslaw.