Fishcakes with Eggplant Yogurt Sauce
When I was little, my mom often made salmon croquettes for dinner, using the canned salmon my dad brought back from fishing trips in Alaska. It was the only way my mom knew how to use up the dozens of cans we had in the cupboard. I grew to dread salmon croquette night, and as an adult I avoided any kind of cake that included fish. However, one day at the Machane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem, I snacked on fresh fish cakes dipped in eggplant sauce that changed my fish cake impression forever. They were light and crispy with a punch of lemon, and I asked for a second portion of the eggplant sauce. I usually make a double batch of the cakes, freezing half of them in freezer bags so I can pull them out to fry anytime I want. The eggplant sauce can be made up to 2 days before you fry the fish cakes, and the combination makes a great sandwich filling, stuffed inside a toasted hoagie bun.
Ingredients
Makes 12
Fishcakes:
1 pound white fish filets, such as cod or haddock
3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 scallion, white and green parts, chopped
3 tablespoons capers, chopped
grated zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Eggplant Yogurt Sauce:
2 medium eggplants
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons full fat plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
zest of one lemon
juice of one lemon
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
salt and pepper
Process
Fishcakes:
Cut the fish into very small pieces, about 1/4” cubes. Place fish into a bowl and add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Shape the mixture into 12 patties, just over one ounce each. Place on a plate and cover with plastic. Keep in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to one day. Pour enough oil into a frying pan to coat the bottom of the pan, and heat over medium-high heat. Cook the patties in batches for 4 to 6 minutes, turning and searing until cooked through. Serve the fish cakes with eggplant yogurt sauce. Garnish with lemon slices and parsley, if desired.
Eggplant Yogurt Sauce:
Slice eggplants in half lengthwise. Drizzle cut sides with olive oil and place all four pieces on a grill, cut side down. Alternatively, you can place eggplant halves on a broiler pan and place in the broiler of your oven. Make sure the oven rack is 6-8” below the top broiler element in your oven. Grill or broil eggplant until browned, then turn pieces over and cook eggplant for an additional 5-8 minutes, until the eggplant skin starts to blister. Remove from grill or oven and allow to cool to room temperature. Using a spoon, scoop out the eggplant (and seeds), from the skin into a bowl. Discard eggplant skins. Add remaining ingredients and place all into a food processor. Process until mixture is blended, but not completely smooth. Taste to see if more salt is needed. Pour into a bowl and serve.
