Googie’s Kitchen presents Spicy Mackerel Fishcakes

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When it was just my husband and I we would occasionally treat ourselves to a Fish and Chip supper from the local takeaway. For those of you that don’t live in the UK Fish and Chips is a huge part of our culture. Many years ago people would buy fish and chips from the local takeaway and they would wrap it in newspaper.

Nowadays they don’t do that anymore and most of the stock is brought in frozen from a local warehouse. So one night after work we had an event to go to in a small town on the way home. We had been told by certain people that the fish and chip shop up the road from the event made the best chips. So we decided to give it a try.

When we entered the takeaway we were greeted by a friendly couple who owned the business. My husband asked for his usual, sausage in batter and a portion of chips. Then I ask for a fishcake and chips. To our surprise the lady asked if we would like a homemade fishcake and of course I said yes. It was the best fishcakes and chips I have ever tasted and this then inspired me to start making my own.

In recent months I have made a couple of types of fishcake that we have all enjoyed. I have never really thought about adding spices or using a different type of fish. So I thought that a spicy mackerel fishcake may taste good and they were delicious. Below is the video and recipe for you.

Do you add herbs and spices to your dinner? If so, what ones do you like to eat? Let me know in the comments below and please don’t forget to like and follow me.

Serves 4

• Vegetable peeler
• Sharp knife
• Chopping board
• Large pan
• Fork
• Colander
• Potato masher
• Teaspoon
• Tablespoon
• Bowls x 3
• Frying pan
• Plastic brush
• Fish slice

Ingredients

• Mackerel x 500g
• Potatoes x 800g
• Carrots x 2 large
• Leeks x 1
• Garlic granules x 1 tsp
• Ground tumeric x 1 tsp
• Ground ginger x 1 tsp
• Ground cumin x 1 tsp
• Ground coriander x 1 tsp
• Ground cinnamon x 1 tsp
• Dried mixed herbs x 1 tsp
• Fresh coriander x 1 handful
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Unsalted butter or ghee x 2 large knobs
• Brown rice or plain flour (if not gluten free) x 100g
• Eggs x 2 – 3 large
• Flax seed x 150g plus 2 tbsps for the filling
• Oil for the pan

Method

• Start by peeling the potatoes and cutting them into 1 inch chunks/pieces.
• Next peel the carrots and cut into small 1 centimetre pieces.
• Slice the leek and set these aside.
• Remove the skin and any small bones from the mackerel.
• Put the large pan on a high heat and add water.
• Bring the water to the boil and add the carrots.
• Cook the carrots for about 5 minutes.
• Put the colander over the boiling water and place the mackerel in.
• Steam the mackerel until the flesh becomes very easy to pull apart.
• It should take about 5 minutes to cook.
• Once it’s done remove from the heat and set aside.
• Now add the potatoes to the boiling water.
• Bring the water to the boil again and then turn the heat down to simmer.
• Cook everything for a further 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes put a fork into the potatoes and if they fall off easily they are cooked.
• If not, cook for another five minutes and check again.
• Once cooked, remove from the heat.
• Pour the potatoes through the colander and set aside.
• Meanwhile, put the frying pan on a high heat and add oil.
• Spread the oil across the base of the pan with a plastic brush.
• When the pan is hot add the leeks and fry for about 5 minutes.
• Once the leeks become transparent/see through and start to soften remove the pan from the heat.
• Put the potatoes back into the large pan and add the leeks.
• Next add the spices, tablespoons of flax seed and dried mixed herbs.
• Add in the large knobs of butter too.
• Chop the coriander and put in with the other ingredients.
• Plus the salt and pepper to taste.
• Mash all the ingredients together with the masher.
• Now shape the potato into 8 fishcakes and put in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
• Prepare the bowls with the flour, egg and flax seed.
• Take the fishcakes from the fridge and start to prepare the coating.
• Dip the first fishcake into the brown rice or plain flour.
• Next dip into the egg and finally cover in the flaxseed.
• The flax seed acts like the breadcrumb coating so if you aren’t intolerant to bread then please feel free to use it instead.
• Repeat this process for all the fishcakes.
• Put the frying pan back on a high heat and add oil.
• Again spread evenly across the base of the pan.
• Put the fishcakes into the pan and fry until the coating becomes golden brown.
• Turn the heat down during this process as it will help to heat the middle of the fishcake.
• Now repeat this process for all the fishcakes.
• Then serve and enjoy.

My Spicy Mackerel Fishcakes were delicious and well worth the effort it took to make them. These are a yummy dish that the whole family can enjoy. All of the ingredients in this dish are freezable so it means you can make them in advance of a meal. It’s a quick mid week dinner. We served ours with fried spinach but you could have one fishcake and then have chips. In the summer these will be great with a salad as well. However you decide to eat this dish, as always, enjoy!