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Cod fish cakes

Cod Fish Cakes | Golden & Crisp Fish Patties Recipe

By Tom · Updated

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  • Serves 6
  • About 2 hours 35 min
  • Takes a bit of care

Homemade cod fish cakes, a classic golden and crisp fish patties recipe that blends tender, flaky cod with fresh herbs, zesty lemon, garlic and spring onion. These golden, crispy cakes are perfect for a light lunch or a satisfying appetiser.

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The recipe

Cod fish cakes

Homemade cod fish cakes, a classic golden and crisp fish patties recipe that blends tender, flaky cod with fresh herbs, zesty lemon.

  • Serves 6
  • 25 min prep
  • 2 hours 8 min cooking
  • Takes a bit of care

Times and difficulty are our estimates from the method, not stopwatch figures.

Scale
6 servings
Measurements

Ingredients

The coating

Tartar sauce

Tick things off as you go — they stay ticked if you close the page.

A dotted underline means the amount has been rounded to something you can measure.

Method

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 190°C Fan. Place the potatoes onto a baking tray and bake them in the oven for 1 hour.

  2. Step 2

    Season the cod fillets (280 g) on each side with salt and white pepper and set it to one side while you prepare your garlic (2 garlic), spring onions (2 onions), lemon zest and parsley (15 g).

  3. Step 3

    Place a frying pan over low heat and add the olive oil (20 ml) and butter (30 g). Once the butter has melted, lay in the cod fillets (280 g). Gently cook for 3 minutes on each side until the fish begins to flake apart. Remove it from the man and leave it to cool. Drain the excess oil/butter from the pan and place it back over the heat. Turn the heat up slightly and add in the garlic (2 garlic) and spring onions (2 onions), cook for 1 minute and remove from the pan.

  4. Step 4

    After 1 hour, remove the potatoes from the oven and cut them in half. Scoop the filling into a mixing bowl and break it down slightly using a fork. Add in the lemon zest and the cooked spring onion (2 onions) and garlic (2 garlic). Flake the fish down and add in (discard any skin), followed by the chopped parsley (15 g). Season it to taste with salt and ground white pepper. Mix everything until all ingredients are fully incorporated.

  5. Step 5

    Shape the mixture into six equal-sized balls and press them down into patties.

  6. Step 6

    To breadcrumb your fish cakes. Place the flour (100 g), eggs (2) (beaten) and breadcrumbs into separate bowls. Dip the fish cakes into the flour first, then the egg and then into the panko breadcrumbs (150 g), making sure they are fully coated.

  7. Step 7

    Next, place a pan suitable for deep/shallow frying over medium-high heat and place in your frying oil. Heat to a temperature of 180°C. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden and crisp. You might need to do this in batches.

  8. Step 8: Tartar sauce method

    Combine the diced gherkins (2), chopped capers (25 g), diced shallot (1), chopped parsley (15 g), mayonnaise (150 g) and lemon juice in a mixing bowl and mix well. It's up to you how chunky or smooth you like your tartar sauce, so chop the ingredients to your preference.

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Questions people ask

How long does cod fish cakes take?

About 2 hours 35 min from start to finish, of which 25 min is prep and 2 hours 8 min is cooking. That figure is worked out from the method rather than timed with a stopwatch, so give yourself a little more the first time.

How many does it serve, and can I change that?

As written it serves 6. Use the scale control on the recipe card to change it: every quantity in the ingredients and inside the method steps updates with it. Seasoning, and anything measured in pinches or splashes, is deliberately left alone.

Can I see the ingredients in ounces and pints?

Yes. The metric and imperial switch on the recipe card converts every quantity, rounded to amounts you can actually weigh or measure rather than to four decimal places. Your choice is remembered for every recipe on the site.