I initially created this fish cake recipe as an upscale summery meal for quiet, cooler nights at home, when I had time to bake the ingredients and then the cakes and didn’t mind turning on the oven. They’re so delicious that I started serving them at events, and then I adapted the technique so that I could cook everything outdoors on a charcoal or gas grill.
I usually buy halibut pieces, left from cutting steaks and sold at a discount, from Flathead Fish & Seafood Co. in Columbia Falls, but other species also work. Precooking most of the vegetables keeps the cakes from becoming overly soggy and eliminates the need for filler.
Grilled or Baked Fish Cakes
Makes about 15 small cakes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large carrot, sliced
1/2 large red bell pepper, chopped
3/4 large red or sweet onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1/2 lemon or 1/4 orange, thinly sliced
1-1/4 pounds fish, such as halibut or cod loin
2 teaspoons Smoky Homemade Chili Paste or crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
2 fresh sorrel leaves, chiffonade cut (optional)
1/4 cup fresh basil, chiffonade cut
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 egg, lightly beaten
Divide the oil between two 9-by-9 inch baking pans or grill trays or mats. Put all carrot slices, three-quarters of the bell pepper and onion, two unpeeled garlic cloves and four lemon or orange slices in one pan or tray. Place the fish in the other. Cook both, uncovered, until the fish flakes easily with a fork, either in the oven at 425°F or on a hot grill for about 10 minutes. Remove the fish, stir the vegetables and continue roasting or grilling these until soft and lightly charred, about 15 minutes in the oven or five minutes on the grill.
Peel and mince the remaining garlic clove, and place it and the remaining bell pepper and onion in a medium bowl. Mix in the chili paste, herbs, salt and black pepper. Flake in the baked fish, removing any bones. Add the roasted vegetables, squeezing the garlic from the skin and removing the citrus flesh from the peel before composting the bitter white pith. Puree the mixture with an immersion blender until mostly smooth and free of large chunks. Stir in the beaten egg.
Line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Fill an ice cream scoop until almost level, release the half-ball onto the paper and flatten it slightly; repeat with the remaining fish mixture. Chill the patties in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
Bake the patties on their tray at 350°F for 20 minutes. Flip, top with wedges of the remaining citrus slices and bake for another five minutes, until lightly golden. To grill instead, transfer the patties to a hot oiled grill mat or tray, top with the lemon and bake for about five minutes per side, checking often to ensure even cooking. Serve immediately, using the charred citrus slices as garnish.
Julie Laing is a Bigfork-based cookbook author and food blogger. Learn more about this month’s cocktail and sushi workshops at TwiceAsTasty.com.