General Chat

I never did like fish very much but would, on occasion, eat a fish-cake. Of course, having become a veggie in 1975 I have not even had one of those since that time.

I have, over the years, managed to replicate quite a lot of the things I did enjoy eating in my carnivorous days and was looking on-line for some of my strange fodder, this time it was tapioca!

Anyway, during the course of my browsing I came across, wait for it, tinned banana blossom which can be used as a textural substitute for fish, it says. So being a weak and silly woman, I have ordered a tin.

One suggestion they made was for vegan fish and chips but that is not going to happen.

I have, of course, never made a fish cake, but I am sure many of you make them on a weekly basis so can you suggest to me how I might make a passable fish cake with my strange ingredient (just pretend it is fish) ?

I used to make them - but it wasn't so much via a recipe, just a case of slinging fish and potato (and occasionally an egg, I think), together, slapping them into shape, dunking them in flour, or if I had them, breadcrumbs, and frying them.

Nigella - eat your heart out! :-D :-D :-D :-D

Did you not put anything in to give them a bit of flavour?

As both the fish and the mashed potato are already cooked, they will probably have enough salt, but there's nothing to stop you adding pepper or any herbs you fancy.

This is really what I am asking. What herbs and things would go in a fish cake?

I always make mine with tinned red salmon, floury potato (crush it rather than mash), dill, flat leaf parsley, lemon juice, salt if necessary, and add a bit of sweet chilli sauce to serve. Not mad about white fish fishcakes, prefer to eat the fillet.

Parsley and Dill are good :-)

I possibly added a few mixed herbs, but as I was cooking for young children, I didn't want anything too strong.

I have the palate of a two year old so there will be no chilli, bleh!

As the tin of banana blossom (FGS!) is £2.50, I would imagine that I will be making some 'fish' cakes to freeze so I want to get a bit of flavour in them that I will like.

I have put some dill on my Sainsbury order, another 65p so they had better be good, and I have some parsley in the window. I think there is some thyme outside.

They would probably go together alright shouldn't they? Of course they will have onions in them but OH says you don't put garlic with fish.

I put garlic with anything ;-) love the stuff :-D :-D

You could always hide something in the centre of your 'fish' cakes.

Some in the shops have a pea and mint soft centre, others have cheese sauce and leek in the middle.

Don't know if these would be suitable to freeze though?

Somebody told me she had bought some that contained corned beef so I am wondering if rissoles are out of fashion now and are known as meat fishcakes or something.

Tomato ketchup was suggested because the school cook used to make them out of tinned pilchards in tomato sauce.

I suppose you could try samphire.

Where am I going to get that then?

Tesco's, Sainsbury's or, where you live, mud or sands around salt marshes, estuaries and tidal creeks.

Where every dog in creation is taken to cock it's leg! And, what about the mud and salt marshes?

I don't want to spend on samphire because they may turn out vile and have to go in the bin.

You can grow it yourself :-D
But - the seeds need to be sown between March and May.

It has to be watered with sea water and the banana flower will probably be here this week.

Mange tout, mange tout!

Pumpkin!

That just tastes like pumpkin!

Ma crepe Suzette!