John Torode's kipper fish cakes with creamed spinach & poached egg
John Torode is back in the saddle, as he sets out on the road to explore Northumberland. Continuing his trip, he begins the day in the small fishing village of Seahouses, which is one of the oldest producers of kippers in the world. He heads up the coast to Bamburgh Castle, where he serves fish cakes while looking out on the stunning coast.
Kipper fish cakes with creamed spinach & poached egg
Makes 4 large or 8 small good-sized cakes
Ingredients
For the fish cakes
2 large kippers
200g salmon fillet, skin off
200g cod, skin off
500ml boiling water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dash of white wine vinegar
4 big floury baking-sized potatoes or mash potato
1 medium red onions, very finely diced
3 long red (Serrano) chillies, deseeded
2 good handfuls of chopped parsley (about 25 g)
2 good handfuls chopped coriander (about 25 g)
Juice of 1 lemon and zest of 1
1 egg, beaten
flour, for dusting
50 g butter
3 tablespoons oil
For the poached eggs
4 eggs
50ml malt vinegar
2 litres water
For the creamed spinach
200g frozen spinach
100ml crème fraîche
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
For the fishcakes
1. Place the salmon and cod in a large heatproof bowl and the kippers in a separate heatproof bowl. After this time, drain the water off the fish.
2. Add the vinegar to the salmon and cod then pour on enough boiling water to cover and leave for 5 minutes. Once the flesh flakes easily, carefully remove the fish from the water.
3. Pour enough boiling water over the kippers to cover them and leave for 5-8 minutes. After this time, check that the flesh flakes easily then carefully remove the skin and bones gently from the kippers.
4. Flake all the different fish into large pieces.
5. While the fish is cooking, boil the potatoes and mash and season, add a tablespoon of olive oil.
6. Add the potato to the fish pieces and mix together very gently, adding the onions, chillies, herbs, lemon juice and zest, and seasoning, trying all the time to preserve the chunky texture.
7. Put the beaten egg into a bowl, and the flour in a separate plate. Shape the fish mixture into 4 large or 8 small cakes and dip first in the beaten egg, then in the flour.
8. Heat some oil in a large frying pan and cook the fish cakes, in batches, frying them gently until golden brown on both sides. Drop in a knob of butter at the end. Serve.
For the Poached Eggs
Oh to poach an egg. Some people find poaching an egg difficult but here are a few helpful tips. Use clean fresh water, do not add salt, it will break down the egg white and the eggs fall apart, put a good 50ml vinegar in the water and have it at a rolling boil.
1. In a deep saucepan bring the vinegar and the water to a rolling boil, you will have to keep the water moving as you add the eggs so keep turning it up.
2. Break the eggs in at 12 o’clock then 6 o’clock then 3 and 9 last.
3. Keep the water rolling. The eggs float to the top and once they do, cook for a further 2 minutes.
Note: restaurants do this and cool the poached eggs in cold water to be heated up in boiling clean water when needed, so you too can make them before you need them and then just drop into clean boiling water.
For the creamed spinach
1. Put the frozen spinach into a pan and warm until defrosted, when really hot season well and stir, cook so there is very little liquid. Drop in the crème fraiche and bring to the boil.
2. Lovely served with half lemons and Dijon or English mustard.