Haddock Fishcake Recipe

Boil potatoes

Place diced potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water by 2 cm. Add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer until tender when pierced with a knife, about 12–15 minutes. Drain well and return to the hot pan for 1 minute to remove excess moisture.

Poach haddock

Meanwhile, place the haddock fillets in a shallow frying pan or wide saucepan. Add enough cold water (or a mix of water and milk for extra richness) to just cover the fish and a pinch of salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat and poach for 4–6 minutes until opaque and just cooked through. Remove fish with a slotted spatula and let cool slightly; reserve 2–3 tablespoons of poaching liquid.

Flake fish

Remove any remaining bones from the haddock and flake into large pieces with a fork. Coarsely chop the smoked salmon into small pieces. Set both aside to cool further.

Mash the drained hot potatoes with the 25 g butter until smooth but still slightly textured (use a potato ricer or masher). Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, parsley, chives, salt and pepper.

Add the flaked haddock and chopped smoked salmon to the mashed potatoes. Add 80 g fine breadcrumbs and the beaten egg. Gently fold the mixture with a spatula until evenly combined; do not overwork — you want distinct flakes of fish. If mixture feels dry, add 1–2 tablespoons of the reserved poaching liquid or a splash of milk to bind. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Form the mixture into 8 equal-sized fishcakes (about 70–80 g each). Place them on a tray and chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes to firm up — this helps them hold shape during frying.

Set out three shallow dishes: one with the 40 g flour, one with the beaten extra egg (optional) or a little milk, and one with the 50 g extra breadcrumbs. Lightly dust each fishcake with flour, dip briefly into egg wash (if using) then press into breadcrumbs to coat both sides. Shake off excess.

Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add 2 tbs olive oil plus 1 tbs neutral oil to raise the smoke point. When the oil shimmers, add fishcakes (do not overcrowd — cook in batches if needed). Fry for 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp, pressing gently once with a spatula so they make even contact. Reduce heat if they brown too quickly. Transfer cooked fishcakes to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate and keep warm in a low oven (100°C / 210°F) while cooking the rest.

Wipe out the frying pan used for the fishcakes and return to medium heat. Add 15 g butter and the sliced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

Add the spinach and optional peppery leaves to the pan in batches, tossing continuously so leaves just wilt, about 1–2 minutes total. Season with 0.5 tbs lemon juice, 0.25 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Remove from heat and keep warm.

While the last fishcakes cook, make the lemon-dill mayo by stirring together the 60 g mayonnaise, 1 tbs chopped dill, 1 tsp lemon juice, 0.25 tsp salt and 0.125 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust acidity or seasoning.

To serve, place a bed of wilted greens on each plate, top with 2 fishcakes per serving (for 4 servings), and spoon a little lemon-dill mayo alongside or drizzle on top. Garnish with extra chopped dill or lemon wedges if desired.