Fishcake
A fishcake (sometimes written as fish cake) is a food item similar to a croquette, consisting of a filleted fish and potato patty sometimes coated in breadcrumbs or batter, and fried. Fishcakes are often served in British fish and chip shops.
The fishcake has been seen as a way of using up leftovers that might otherwise be thrown away. In Mrs Beeton's 19th century publication Book of Household Management, her recipe for fishcakes calls for "leftover fish" and "cold potatoes".[1] More modern recipes have added to the dish, suggesting ingredients such as smoked salmon and vegetables.
Composition
Commonly fishcakes used cod as a filling; however, as cod stocks have been depleted other varieties of white fish are used, such as haddock or whiting.[2] Fishcakes may also use oily fish such as salmon for a markedly different flavour.
Fishcakes have also traditionally been made from salted fish (most commonly cod, haddock or pollock). Fishcakes are also prepared without breadcrumbs or batter, and are made with a mixture of cooked fish, potatoes and occasionally eggs formed into patties and then fried.
Variants
As fish has traditionally been a major dietary component of people living near seas, rivers, and lakes; there have arisen many regional variations of the fish cake.
Variations can depend on what type of fish is used; how finely chopped the fish is; the use of milk or water; the used of flour or boiled potatoes; the use of eggs, egg whites, or no eggs; the cooking method (boiling, frying, or baking); and the inclusion of other ingredients (for example, shrimp, bacon, herbs, or spices).
- In Yorkshire, England The "Yorkshire Fishcake" is a variation traditionally served in many Fish and Chip shops in South Yorkshire, parts of West Yorkshire and Humberside.. It consists of two slices of potato (sometimes parboiled), with offcuts of fish in between, deep fried in batter.[3] Yorkshire fishcakes can also be known as scallop fishcakes, or fish patties. TV chef Brian Turner has made the recipe available via his website.[4] Another variation of the fish cake is the parsley cake which is sold in some Fish and Chip Shops in and around Castleford, West Yorkshire, England. It consists of minced fish, mashed potato and fresh parsley, coated in breadcrumbs and deep fried.
- In Bermuda, fish cakes are known as Bermuda Fish Cakes and are made especially during Easter, but also throughout the year if Bermudians have leftovers from their traditional Sunday breakfast of codfish and potatoes. In Bermuda, fish cakes are normally eaten between hot cross buns.
- In Denmark, fiskefrikadeller are slightly elongated, pan-fried patties much like regular frikadeller. They are normally not coated in breadcrumbs. In Southern Jutland, fiskefrikadeller sometimes contain smoked hog fat.
- In parts of East Asia, fish balls are made of kneaded (not minced) fish dough.
- In Japan, white fish is puréed and steamed into a loaf called kamaboko. Fried fish cakes, such as satsumaage, are also popular.
- In Jewish cuisine, gefilte fish are patties of white fish mixed with matzoh or challah, poached in the skin of the fish.
- In Norway, fish balls are formed into spherical fiskeboller ("fish buns": fisk + boller) from forcemeat.
- In Northern Germany, fish cakes are known as Fischfrikadellen.
- In Portugal, Pastéis de Bacalhau (codfish pasties) are a type of very popular fishcake. Pastéis are made of potato, codfish (Bacalhau), parsley and eggs.
- In Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, bacalaíto are eaten either as a snack or as part of a meal.
- In Sweden, canned fiskbullar are widely found, in contrast to fiskefrikadeller they are not fried but boiled and as a result almost entirely white.
- In Thai cuisine the fish is first mashed and then mixed with chopped yardlong beans, fresh coriander (including stalks), fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves, red curry paste, and an egg binding. It is deep fried and usually served with a sweet chilli dipping sauce. Thot man pla have become popular around the world.
- In Newfoundland and Labrador the fish is generally salted Cod flakes and blended with mashed potatoes. Savory is used instead of parsley, along with minced sweated onions. The cakes are then formed into rounds and cooked in oil or pork back fat until golden brown.
- In Indonesia, there are varieties of fishcakes, or locally known to South Sumatra as 'pempek' or 'empek-empek'. The traditional South Sumatran pempek is served with 'kuah cuka'.
- In West Bengal,several local fish species (mostly riverine) are prepared and eaten in deep-fried breadcrumb covered fishcakes,locally called maacher chop.The item is very popular as appetizers during middle class Bengali festivities.
- In Barbados, fishcakes are made from a saltfish and flour batter. The batter is rolled into a ball and dropped in a deep frying pan of oil and the cakes are fried.
See also
References