This time of year, like many folks, I lean towards preparing lighter fish recipes. But sometimes I get a little tired of either throwing a tuna steak on the cast iron pan or broiling some salmon in the oven.
What about cod?
I’ve cooked it many times at home, but never was the end result met with rave reviews (even when I lived in Boston and got it fresh). Nowadays, I buy the monster package of frozen filets at Kroger. They work just fine in a pinch, but I was in search of a recipe that would really elevate cod.
I used this cod cake recipe as a base, making several minor adjustments to end up with a final product that will definitely be in our dining rotation. First and foremost, scale the ingredient amounts down quite a bit, as the listed recipe feeds about 50 people.
First, boil three large cod filets and a halved lemon in salted water. Remove, let cool, and mash fish into little pieces. Boil four large potatoes, then mash with salt, 1/2 cup of milk, 2 tablespoons of butter, and a pinch of salt. Let cool as well. In a separate bowl, add sour cream, panko bread crumbs, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, green onions, Dijon mustard, and pepper. Mix well, then add cooled potatoes and fish. Mix well again. Take a small handful of the mixture and form patties. Heat canola oil to medium-high and fry the patties for 3 minutes on each side. Top with a sour cream/sriracha mixture, some diced avocado, and sliced green onions.
The subtle tasting cod is just a perfect pairing with the buttery potatoes. I think you’ll also find the sour cream and avocado toppings to add both a little spiciness and a creamy texture to the dish.
This recipe, although a bit labor intensive, is not difficult, and is ideal as either an appetizer for a dinner party or a main entrée for a family dinner.