Herbed Fish Cakes With Horseradish Sauce

Salmon cakes are a standard week night dinner in my house, but they don't really say "company dinner" to me. That's why, when my sister and her family was visiting on Good Friday, I wanted to serve a fancier version of a fish cake. This version is still super easy to make, but the chopped herbs and horseradish sauce made it seem a little fancier. I cooked cod and mahi mahi, however you can swap out this fish for what ever you like and what looks good that day. This is a great way to use up leftover fish, but I cooked the fish "en papillote," which means to cook in parchment paper. This method is, fast, easy to clean up, and delivers moist fish.

Herbed Fish Cakes
10 ounces cod
10 ounces mahi mahi
2 eggs
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped dill
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Create a parchment-paper package by placing the fish on a piece of parchment paper, fold the paper in half, then folding the edges back and securing them. Traditionally the paper is secured by folding it over quarter inch pieces in alternating directions. Recently someone told me they simply use a stapler to keep the paper securely closed. This method is way easier and fast, just watch out for the staples when your taking the fish out of the oven.

Bake the fish for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet.

Remove the fish from the oven, cool and remove skin. Using a fork, break the fish into pieces. Place in a bowl and mix with the eggs, breadcrumbs, herbs, and salt and pepper. Form the fish into cakes. For the best results, place the formed fish cakes in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or so. Then coat the cakes with panko breadcrumbs.

Heat olive oil in a large frying pan. Place cakes in the hot oil and cook until golden brown on one side, about two to three minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is also golden brown, another two to three minutes.

Remove from pan and serve hot with horseradish sauce.

Makes 1 dozen fish cakes.

Horseradish Sauce
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sweet relish
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Serve with herbed fish cakes.