Get ’em while they’re smoking hot Smoked fish cakes

Use cured fish to give favourite dishes new depth.

I am a big fan of smoked fish, and it stepped up for some tasty dinners recently when fresh stuff was difficult to source. Smoked fish is cured, so it keeps longer than the fresh sort. For a change from smoked salmon, search out oily white-fleshed fish such as mackerel, kingfish and trevally. When making mash for dinner add a few extra potatoes to the pot so you have leftovers to make these simple fish cakes for lunch or dinner the next day. Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Serves 4

300g smoked white-fleshed fish – see suggestions above

1 egg

2 spring onions, thinly sliced

About 2 cups leftover mashed potato (400g potatoes)

1 rounded tsp wholegrain mustard

Handful of fresh parsley

Salt and cracked pepper to season

1 cup dried breadcrumbs

Olive oil for frying

Flake the fish into a mixing bowl, add the egg and use a fork to combine. Add the spring onion, mashed potato, mustard, and parsley, and season generously. Mix well to combine.

Scatter the breadcrumbs onto a plate. Shape the potato mixture into 5cm wide by 2cm high cakes then press into the crumbs to evenly coat. Preheat the oven to 150C and place a baking tray in the oven.

Heat a heavy-based frying pan over a moderate heat. Add a generous drizzle of oil swirling to coat the base. Cook the fish cakes in batches until golden, about 4-5 minutes each side, adding oil to the pan as needed. Keep the cooked fish cakes warm in the oven.

Serve with coleslaw and tomato sauce. Leftover fish cakes can be kept in the fridge for 2 days – they are delicious reheated and topped with a poached egg.