My ex-mother-in-law used to make these wonderful cod cakes whenever her boys brought her fresh fish from the fish mongers in New York City. To be honest, I’m not a big fish eater, but these here Greek-Style cod fish cakes of hers were so dee-lish-us! She’d serve them up with a loaf of fresh, crusty bread, chunks of kefalotyri cheese and tasty Greek olives. Now, every once in a while, I make ’em and they are just sat yummy as the first time I tried them. Honey, that’s good eatin’!
Greek-Style Cod Cakes
Recipe by: Bobbi Jo Lathan
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Greek
PREP TIME
20 mins
COOK TIME
20 mins
TOTAL TIME
40 mins
INGREDIENTS
Cod Cakes:
2 cups low-fat milk
1 pound cod fillets
½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley (chopped fine)
1 tablespoon onion (grated)
1 teaspoons lemon rind (grated)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 dashes of hot sauce
1 large egg (lightly beaten)
1 large egg white (beaten)
1 garlic clove (minced)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce:
¼ cup canola mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley (chopped)
1 teaspoon fresh dill (chopped)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 clove fresh garlic (minced)
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
OK, now this may sound a little weird, but do it anyway! Otherwise, my ex-mother-in-law is gonna haunt me in my dreams! Pour the milk into a heavy saucepan and let it come to a simmer.
Now, add the cod and put a lid on it and let it cook for about 5 minutes.
While that’s cookin’, put some paper towels on a plate to drain the fish.
Turn off the burner under the fish and milk and remove the fish from the simmering milk and let it drain on the paper towels. Set it aside for a minute to cool.
Beat the egg white and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine ¼ cup of the Panko breadcrumbs, parsley, onion, lemon rind, salt, pepper, hot sauce, beaten egg, minced garlic, and only one tablespoon of the lemon juice.
Fold in your beaten egg white.
Next, flake the cooled cod fish and add that to the breadcrumb mixture.
Stir to mix it all together, but don’t overmix . You want to keep the cod fish in decently sized pieces.
Place some parchment paper on a cookie sheet.
Spread the remaining Panko breadcrumbs onto a plate.
Form the fish mixture into ½ inch thick patties.
Dredge the patties in the remaining ¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs and press patties to coat.
Place the patties/cakes on the parchment papered cookie sheet.
Now, place the cookie sheet with the patties in the freezer for about 5 minutes so that the cakes can set and won’t crumble when you cook them.
While the cakes are in freezer, for the sauce, just mix all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl and cover and place in fridge.
After allotted time, remove the sheet with the cakes from the freezer.
Heat your olive oil in a non-stick (or a cast iron skillet) and sauté the cod cakes over a medium heat for about 3-5 minutes on each side ‘til nice and golden brown.
Let the cod cakes drain on some paper towel.
Drizzle the cooked cod cakes with the remaining 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
Plop a little sauce on a plate alongside the cod cakes sprinkled with a little extra chopped dill. And, serve them golden brown babies while still hot! YUM!