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Story by Robin Richards, sharing his love for Fishcakes
T
he taste of a hot fishcake straight from the frying pan is a food delight, and an underrated part of Saint culture. I realised the special place Fishcakes hold in Saint Helenian culture the day I organised a demonstration of how to make them Saint style to a group of visiting yachtsmen. People watched fascinated as the herds were mixed in with the mashed potato, and heeps of fresh fish. The simple process of shaping the fishcakes, then directly into some hot oil – beautiful! So fresh and true to its ingredients.
I still struggle to shape the fishcake as well as my Mum, or Emma-Jane. There is still one or three which break away upon frying. I like to think of those as the cook’s reward.
How to make Fishcakes
St Helena Fishcakes
Ingredients
- 450 g Fish (Saints love Tuna, but works with any Fish)
- 450 g Potatoes
- 1 Onion (Large, Chopped)
- 2 Rashers of Bacon (Finely Chopped)
- 1 Chilli
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash fish. Shred or mince fish with a knife until very fine.
- Peel, dice and boil potatoes. Then mash them.
- Heat oil and fry onion, bacon and chill until onion starts to brown. Remove from heat.
- Combine the onion, bacon and chill with the potatoes.
- Add the fish to the mixture while potatoes are still hot and mix it together. Then mix in the beaten egg, and season with Salt and Pepper.
- Form patties with your hands (about 5 cm in diameter), flatten slightly and dust with flour if necessary. Tip 1: Wash hands regularly to prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands when forming patties. Tip 2: Uncooked patties can be frozen for frying later. Defrost patties completely before frying.
- Fry patties in hot oil until both sides are golden brown.
- Serve as a main meal with rice and vegetables, or as a snack in a roll.
Notes
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Image: James Bay, St Helena Island