Panfish Cakes

This tasty dish can be made with any white-fleshed fish, as well as stronger-flavoured species such as trout or salmon. In particular, it’s an excellent way to prepare small, boney panfish. Whichever fish you choose, expect everyone to come back for more—even those who say they don’t like fish.

• Serves: 4
• Course: Lunch, Dinner
• Beer: Lager
• Wine: All whites, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc

Ingredients

• Yukon Gold potatoes (enough for 2 cups, mashed)
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 4 green onions, finely sliced
• 1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
• 1 large egg, beaten
• Salt and white pepper to taste
• 1 lb panfish pieces, cooked and deboned
• Oil and butter for frying

Preparation

1. Boil potatoes together with crushed garlic clove until potatoes are soft, then mash. Mix in green onions, tarragon and egg. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Gently fold fish pieces into potato mixture, then form one-inch thick patties. Fry patties in oil-butter blend until golden brown.
3. Serve with spring vegetables such as asparagus or fiddleheads, or wild mushrooms.
4. Tip: Removing flesh from boney fish is simple if you bake or roast them first. Remove the head and entrails, scrub the skin and season the inside of the fish with salt and black pepper. Arrange onion and lemon slices in a baking dish and place the fish on top. Bake at 325°F until the flesh pulls away from the backbone using a fork (20 to 30 minutes); remove all flesh while still warm.