Fish Cake Fingers Recipes

Steps:

• KIDS: The writing in bold is for you GROWN-UPS: The rest is for you. Make some mash. Tip the potatoes into a pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Boil for 10 mins then lower the heat and drop in the salmon. Turn down the heat and simmer for about 3-5 mins more until the fish is cooked. Lift the fish onto a plate with a slotted spoon. Continue cooking the potatoes until soft, then drain. Tip the potatoes into a bowl and get your child to mash them.
• Flake the fish. While the potatoes cook, peel away the skin from the mackerel fillets and get your child to flake the meat into a small bowl - they can taste some at this point, if they like.
• Mix it all up. Add the lemon zest to the potato, and mash some more. Then add all the flaked fish and mix together well - don't worry about breaking up the fish. If you want, divide the mix in half and add any grown-up ingredients at this stage. Leave until cool enough to handle.
• Roll out into long sausages. Lightly flour a surface and crack the eggs into a dish. Get your child to whisk them while you tip the breadcrumbs into another dish. Then ask them to divide the mash into eight and roll them on the flour into long, fat cylinders.
• Dip them in egg. Working methodically, roll the sausages carefully in the egg.
• Coat in crunchy breadcrumbs. Once the sausages are completely coated in egg, roll them in the breadcrumbs, making sure that they are well coated. The fingers can now be kept in the fridge for 2-3 days, or frozen for 1 month. To cook from frozen, Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Drizzle some olive oil over the Fish cake fingers and bake for 25-30 mins, until cooked through and golden.
• Get a grown-up to cook them. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the fingers in batches. Sizzle them for 8-10 mins, turning regularly until completely golden, then lift them out onto kitchen paper to drain. Keep them warm in a low oven while you cook the rest.
• Make a tasty sauce. While you are cooking the fingers, your child can mix the mayonnaise with the lemon juice and garlic - then get them to tip it into a small dish. Serve the fish cake fingers on a plate with the peas, watercress and some of the mayonnaise dip on the side.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Pour the beaten egg into a shallow dish. Tip the breadcrumbs onto a plate. Mix the lemon zest into the breadcrumbs along with the oregano and some salt and pepper.
• Brush a non-stick baking sheet with half the oil. Dip the fish strips into the egg, then roll them in the breadcrumbs. Transfer to the baking sheet and bake for 20 mins until golden.
• Meanwhile, mix the mayo with a squeeze of lemon juice. Toss the spinach leaves and peas with a squeeze more lemon juice and the remaining oil. Serve the fish fingers with the spinach and peas and a spoonful of the lemony mayo.

Steps:

• Mix together 125ml mayonnaise, 1 rounded tbsp roughly chopped capers, 1 rounded tsp creamed horseradish, 1 rounded tsp Dijon mustard, 1 small very finley chopped shallot and 1 tsp finely chopped flatleaf parsley. Set aside.
• Lay 450g skinned Icelandic cod or haddock fillet and 2 bay leaves in a frying pan. Pour over 150ml milk and 150ml water.
• Cover, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 4 mins. Take off the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 mins to gently finish cooking the fish.
• Meanwhile, peel and chop 350g Maris Piper potatoes into even-sized chunks. Put them in a saucepan and just cover with boiling water. Add a pinch of salt, bring back to the boil and simmer for 10 mins or until tender, but not broken up.
• Lift the fish out of the milk 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 the potatoes 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 ½ tsp lemon zest, 1 tbsp chopped flatleaf parsley and 1 tbsp snipped chives.
• Season well with salt and pepper. The potato should have a good flavour, so taste and adjust to suit.
• Drain off liquid from the fish, grind some pepper over it, then flake it into big chunks into the pan of potatoes.
• Using your hands, gently lift the fish and potatoes together so they just mix. You'll only need a couple of turns, or the fish will break up too much. Put to one side and cool.
• Beat 1 egg on a large plate and lightly flour a board. Spread 85g fresh white breadcrumbs on a baking sheet. Divide the fish cake mixture into four.
• On the floured board, and with floured hands, carefully shape into four cakes, about 2.5cm thick. One by one, sit each cake in the egg, and brush over the top and sides so it is completely coated.
• 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).
• Heat 3-4 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil in a large frying pan. To test when ready, drop a piece of the dry breadcrumbs in - if it sizzles and quickly turns golden brown, it is ready to use.
• Fry the fish cakes over a medium heat for about 5 mins on each side or until crisp and golden. Serve with the rest of the sauce (squeeze in a little lemon to taste), lemon wedges for squeezing over and watercress.