We are nearing the end of the Lenten season, when many area Christians are forgoing meat on Fridays. And in some personal observances, people avoid meat altogether. Fish is the popular go-to protein in place of meat.
While there are plenty of fish fry Fridays (many benefit good causes) during Lent, not everyone likes fried fish. Frying, of course, ramps up the fat and calorie count on that lean protein. But there are plenty of ways to cook fish other than by deep frying that take it from boring and bland to fab and tasty.
Today's recipe for Fish and Shrimp Cakes. You can think of these like crab cakes but made with a mix of cod and shrimp. These use panko breadcrumbs as one of the main binding ingredients and as a coating. They are also pan-fried, which crisps the panko coating, giving it a fried texture.
The original recipe called for lobster, but I opted for shrimp because I had some on hand. Using the shrimp was also easier than having to cook two whole lobsters to yield { pound of lobster meat.
The recipe is from Ina Garten's newest book, "Cooking for Jeffrey" (Clarkson Potter, $35). This book, her 10th, was named a finalist for a James Beard Award _ Oscars in the culinary scene.
The Jeffrey in the book title is her husband of 48 years. He's often seen on her Food Network shows. According to the book, the recipes are the ones "Jeffrey and their friends request most often."
Garten is known for entertaining with ease and great food ideas to go along with it on her Barefoot Contessa show. Her recipes are easy to follow and, well, let's just say she just makes everything look and sound delicious.
What's different about these is that you start cooking a mirepoix (that's the fancy French name for a mix of diced vegetables) of onion, celery and red bell pepper. Once the vegetables are softened, the cod pieces are set on top and heavy cream is poured over all. The fish is then poached in the cream, and that is how it gets a rich and creamy texture.
Depending on the thickness of the cod, it's simmered about 6 minutes. You want it just cooked _ enough so it breaks apart _ because it will get cooked again.
Once cooked, the cod and all that creamy-goodness poaching liquid are mixed with the cooked shrimp (or lobster) along with panko bread crumbs and other binding ingredients and seasonings. To shape them, use a large ice cream scoop as a measure and shape into 3-inch cakes. You can also make smaller ones.
This recipe makes about 14 cakes _ plenty to serve 6-8 as a main dish on a bed of mixed greens. These are on the looser side and are not a compact cake. (If the mixture doesn't seem to hold together, chill it at least an hour.) Once you've shaped these, you can cover and refrigerate them for several hours before pan frying.
When frying the cakes, use a mix of butter and olive oil. There's less of a chance of burning butter when it's mixed with another oil. To top off the cakes, serve them with a remoulade or favorite tartar sauce.
