A Lesson on Fishcakes....No Measuring Allowed!

Well this is it! No more cooking in our little home. Only eggs, toast and sandwiches for the next few days...and take out!
This morning I couldn't wait to break in my beautiful new Shun knife. So I minced through cloves of garlic and sliced through roasted bell peppers for our last home cooked meal.

I mentioned previously that we had a few fillets of fish in our freezer. Travis' dad, goes up to Canada every Summer and brings home halibut, cod and salmon. We always luck out and get a cooler or two of frozen fish when they come visit.


You will not find any measurements here. All you need to know is that you need flavor (of course), by adding aromatic vegetables, herbs and spices. A binder is important so you don't end up with fish hash, I usually use eggs, olive oil, breadcrumbs, nuts, rice or whole grains. Moisture is important too, so don't overcook your fish; and the oil and eggs help. Mayonnaise or yogurt is always an option. Citrus, one lime or lemon goes along way.

With fishcakes you can be as creative as you like. They are a nutritious and tasty way to get your kids to eat fish. We love them!

Remember No Measuring Allowed, but here is a little sketch of my Halibut Fishcakes.

Halibut Fishcakes
Yields 10 Cakes

2 small halibut fillets, approximately 1lb, cooked to rare and flaked
a few cloves of garlic, minced
a couple roasted red bell peppers, peeled, de-seeded and chopped
2 healthy pinches of cumin
1 large handful of steamed brown rice
1 lemon, juice & zest
3 healthy swirling drizzles of evoo
small handful of ground toasted almonds
2 eggs, extra-large
8 dollops of Thai Basil & Cilantro Sauce**
sea salt & black pepper to taste
hazelnut oil or your favorite oil for sauteeing.

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix all ingredients together.
Form into cakes (I use a ramekin, a measuring cup works well too).
Warm a non-stick pan with 2 T hazelnut oil over medium-high heat.
Saute the cakes on each side until golden brown, about 2 minutes each side.
Place on a baking pan and bake in the preheated oven until cooked through, about 15-20 minutes.
Serve with your favorite sauce and enjoy!

**Thai Basil & Cilantro Sauce: This I also didn't measure, one day I will, and I will post for you in a proper recipe but for now any sauce that you enjoy with fish will do. Or just leave it out, instead add a bunch of freshly chopped cilantro and Thai Basil and a few more lemons and a lime or two.