Trout and fennel fishcake recipe

Serves 4-6

This recipe uses both fresh and smoked trout, but you could use all of one, or all of the other if that was all you had to hand. The secret to a really good fishcake is plenty of fish and a good, crunchy crumb. I find stale ciabatta, dried slightly and then whizzed in the Magimix, makes the best. If you’re feeling energetic, make a Hollandaise sauce to go with these – it’s naughty but very, very nice. I like the contrast of smoked and fresh fish in these, and the slight aniseedy bite of the fennel.

■ 225g (8oz) mashed potato
■ 25g (1oz) butter
■ 1 small onion, finely chopped
■ 1 small bulb of fennel, finely chopped
■ 150ml (1⁄4 pint) béchamel sauce: 25g (1oz) plain flour; 25g (1oz) butter; 150ml (1⁄4 pint) milk
■ 175g (6oz) smoked trout fillet
■ 175g (6oz) fresh cooked trout fillet
■ 1 hardboiled egg, coarsely chopped
■ 1 tbsp chopped parsley
■ 1 tsp lemon juice
■ Salt and pepper
■ Plain flour for dredging
■ 1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp milk
■ Undyed breadcrumbs made from stale ciabatta, dried slowly and whizzed in the Magimix until fine
■ Butter and oil for frying

Make the mashed potato.

Melt the butter until foaming.

Sweat the onion and fennel in the butter until soft and translucent.

Make the béchamel sauce (melt butter, tip in flour and fry for one minute on low heat, stirring, take off the heat and beat in the milk, put back on low heat and stir constantly until thick).

Mix together the potato, béchamel, trout, egg, onion and fennel mix, parsley, lemon juice, and salt and pepper.

Divide into 10 to 12 small cakes and dredge with flour.

Now dip each cake separately in the beaten egg and milk, and then coat with the breadcrumbs.

Fry in a deepish mixture of hot butter and oil until golden on each side.

Serve with a crisp green salad and hot ciabatta rolls or new potatoes (and Hollandaise sauce if wanted).

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