Smoked Kahawai and Kūmara Fish Cakes with Red Capsicum

Ingredients

Smoked Kahawai and Kūmara Fish Cakes with Red Capsicum Photo: Potton & Burton

Sauce

• red capsicum sauce
• 2 large red capsicums
• 300 ml cream
• salt and pepper

Fish cakes

• 400 g kūmara, peeled and quartered
• 2 large fresh eggs, hard-boiled
• ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 4 heaped tsp creamed horseradish sauce
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 160 g skinless, boneless hot smoked kahawai, flaked into large chunks
• 6 tbsp plain flour
• 1 large fresh egg, beaten
• vegetable oil
• lemon wedges for garnish

Method

First make the sauce. Roast the capsicums until soft, then place in a sealed plastic bag until cool. Remove the skins (they will peel off easily), then puree the flesh. Next, pour the cream into a saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer until reduced by half. Add the pureed capsicum and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place the kūmara in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and add a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and cook until tender. Drain, then mash and keep to one side.

Cut the hard-boiled eggs in half, then remove the yolks and cut the white into tiny dice.

Place the yolks into a fine sieve and push through using the back of a spoon.

Place the mashed kūmara, sieved hard-boiled egg yolks, diced egg white, parsley, horseradish cream and a pinch of salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir well.

Add the flaked kahawai, stirring gently until all the ingredients are well mixed. Do not overmix or the fish will turn to a mush.

Divide the mixture into six. Roll each portion into a ball, dip into the flour and roll until evenly coated. Dip the ball into the beaten egg, again roll to cover evenly, then dip into the flour again. Flatten the ball into a patty and keep to one side. Repeat with the remaining fish cake mixture.

Heat a frying pan large enough to hold three fish cakes. Pour in enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan to a depth of 5 mm. Heat until hot but not smoking.

Cook the fish cakes for 3 minutes, flip over and then cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from the pan, drain on kitchen paper and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining three fish cakes.

Serve with the warm red capsicum sauce and lemon wedges.

Reproduced from Kahawai by Gerard Hindmarsh & Melanie Walker, published by Potton & Burton, RRP$39.99, available nationwide