Smokin Dirt: Fish Cakes!

I made up a batch of fish cakes last night. Normally I would smoke the fish prior to making the cakes, but this time I didn't have the time so I just grilled it up. I use a pretty simple recipe and go by feel on the amounts that I use. I used four nice sized Sebastes Melanops, aka Black Bass, Black Rock Cod, Sea Bass, Black Snapper, and Pacific Ocean Perch, fillets. Probably a total of a pound or there about.

You'll need several taters, I usually figure 2-3 per pound of fish. Peeled, boiled and mashed. I season the taters while they are cooking. I used several mashed garlic cloves, parsley, onion, red pepper corns, and dill. Wish I'd had some tarragon but didn't.

These were really small taters so I used 5. Boiling away with all the good spices. While the taters are cooking its time to get the fish on the grill. If you are smoking the fish you'd reverse the operation and get the fish going first. Note that you want the taters cold when forming the cakes. Because of my time crunch I mashed the taters spread them in a 9x13 pan and into the fridge to cool.

Whether smoked or grilled take the fish till it just turns an nice opaque white and flakes easily. Or for the IT freaks 145º I seasoned the fish the same as the taters, but I added Old Bay to the fish too.

Flake all the fish, watch for bones, no one likes to get those in their fish cake!

Mix the fish and the taters together. Best method is by hand and try not to over mix. Here I like to taste again to see if any additional seasonings are needed. I added a quarter of an onion, finely chopped. I also added more Old bay and parsley, salt and pepper. This also the time to check and see if a cake will hold together. In my case they were a bit dry. One could add buttermilk, cream, or eggs if needed to create a binder.

I added eggs, two. I recommend that you add one at a time. but I knew from the past what the texture should be. Same goes for buttermilk or cream add small amounts check to see if a patty will hold, then add more if needed.