So I had some potatoes I didn’t use on Sunday and I fancied something light for dinner. These fishcakes worked a treat. I love smoked haddock and thought I would use it in these fishcakes. Making your own tartar sauce is great as you can adjust it to your own taste. I love capers and lemon so I add in a lot in my own. There is something satisfying about a bit of peppery rocket, crispy smokey fishcake and sharp creamy tartar sauce.

Ingredients (serves 2)

For the sauce

• 2 heaped tbsp of light mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp capers,
• 1 tsp creamed horseradish
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Juice of a small lemon

For the fish cakes

• 1 smoked haddock fillet (about 200g) from a sustainable source
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 whole black peppercorns
• 2 medium potatoes
• Zest of small lemon
• 1 tbsp snipped chives
• 100g cooked peeled prawns
• Seasoning
• 1 egg
• flour, for shaping
• 85g Panko breadcrumbs
• 3-4 tbsp oil, for shallow frying
• lemon wedges and rocket, to serve

Directions

1. Mix all the sauce ingredients together. Set aside. Lay the fish, peppercorns and bay leaves in a frying pan. Pour over about an inch above the fish of cold water add cover with a tight lid. Cover, bring to a boil, the remove from heat and leave for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile,peel and chop the potatoes into even-sized chunks. Put them in a saucepan and just cover with boiling water. Add a pince of salt, bring back to the boil and simmer for 10 mins or until tender, but not broken up.
3. Lift the fish out of the water with a slotted spoon and put on a plate to cool. Drain the potatoes in a colander and leave for a min or two. Tip them back into the hot pan on the lowest heat you can and let them dry out for 1 min, mashing them with a fork and stirring so they don’t stick. You should have a light, dry fluffy mash. Take off the heat and beat in 1 rounded tbsp of the sauce, then the lemon zest, chives. Season well with salt and pepper. The potato should have a good flavour, so taste and adjust to suit.
4. Drain off liquid from the fish, grind some pepper over it, then flake it into big chunks into the pan of potatoes then add the prawns.Using your hands, gently lift the fish and potatoes together so they just mix (see pic 1). You’ll only need a couple of turns, or the fish will break up too much. Put to one side and cool.
5. Beat the egg on a large plate and lightly flour a board. Spread the breadcrumbs on a plate. Divide the fish cake mixture into four. On the floured board, and with floured hands, carefully shape into four cakes, about 2.5cm thick (pic 2). One by one, sit each cake in the egg, and brush over the top and sides so it is completely coated (pic 3). Sit the cakes on the crumbs, patting the crumbs on the sides and tops so they are lightly covered. Transfer to a plate, cover and chill for 30 mins (or up to a day ahead).
6. Pre heat oven to 200 degrees fan. Place the fishcakes on a baking sheet and spray with some olive oil spray, cook for 30 mins or until golden. Serve with the rest of the sauce, lemon wedges for squeezing over and rocket.