Eric Haynes' Cod Cakes Recipe

Eric Haynes’ Cod Cakes

2 pounds 8-oz cod fillets, fresh if available
4 ounces fresh bread crumbs
2 ounces onion, diced fine
1 ounces celery, diced fine
1 ounces red bell pepper, diced fine
1 ounces green bell pepper, diced fine
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
2 eggs
2 oz. heavy cream
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
Cooking oil or clarified butter as needed

Heat oven 350. Sprinkle half the salt on cod fillets, place on a lightly greased pan and cook for 20 minutes, remove and cool slightly, drain any liquid and refrigerate until well chilled. This will help keep the fish flaky.

Chop bread crumbs with a knife but leave fairly coarse; use a food processor if you have one. Sauté the onions, celery, red and green bell peppers in a small amount of oil or clarified butter until slightly soft. Drain and cool.

In a bowl large enough for mixing, combine the cod fillet (do not break up first) bread crumbs, sautéed vegetables, parsley, eggs, heavy cream, lemon juice, Tabasco, salt, black pepper and mix well but still flaky. Cod is a very lean fish and the cream acts as a binder for the ingredients.

Form into eight 4-ounce balls and let set up for 10 minutes. In a sauté or fry pan, heat a small amount of cooking oil or clarified butter over medium heat, flatten and mold each ball into cake and gently place in the hot oil. Cook 3 to 4 minutes; turn gently and cook 3 to 4 more minutes until golden brown. The cakes firm up as they cook. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Serve with corn relish or tartar sauce.

Mixture will keep for several days refrigerated.

Corn relish

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 ears fresh corn, husked and cut off the cob
4 ounces red onion, diced
1 red chile pepper, minced
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon cumin, ground
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon salt, kosher
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tsp. parsley

Heat olive oil in a small sauce pan, add the corn and cook for 5 minutes, add the remaining ingredients except parsley and cook for 5 more minutes, add parsley and remove from heat, cool and serve with cod cakes or store in a glass jar for up to two weeks.