Fish cakes and Romesco sauce is a winning combination. We’ve simplified this Catalan sauce, which typically includes roasted tomatoes, by swapping in sun-dried tomatoes. Tart, quick-pickled cucumbers and shallots add brightness and crunch.
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 1 medium Yukon gold potato (about 6 ounces), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 8 to 12 ounces white fish, such as cod, lingcod, or rockfish
- 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 small mini cucumber, thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup roasted red pepper
- 2 sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 1 small garlic clove, smashed
- 1 tablespoon roasted almonds
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for sautéing
- Freshly ground pepper
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons beaten egg (use whole egg if doubling)
- 2 ½ ounces baby spinach, kale, or mixed salad greens
Directions
- Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the fish and simmer just until cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain, shaking off excess water and transfer to a bowl to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, in a salad bowl, combine sliced shallots, cucumber, ½ teaspoon each salt and sugar and 1 tablespoon of the vinegar. Let sit, stirring occasionally until ready to serve.
- In a mini chopper or blender, combine the roasted pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, almonds, and remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar. Process until finely chopped. With the machine running, add 4 tablespoons of the oil and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
- Coarsely mash the fish and potatoes and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the 2 tablespoons beaten egg and 2 tablespoons of the panko and stir. Let sit 5 minutes for the mixture to set, then form into 4 (4-inch) cakes and coat with remaining panko.
- Heat a thin layer of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the fish cakes and cook, turning once until golden brown and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the shallots and cucumbers and fold in the greens. Serve fish cakes with salad and Romesco sauce alongside.
Pro Tips
Pair it Up
Complement the romesco sauce with an Italian red wine from Tuscany or Liguria. Seek one that is super fresh with only a hint of oak.
Level it Up
To add even more depth of flavor to the romesco sauce, stir in 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika or swap out the roasted almonds for smoked almonds.
Change it Up
For a hearty next-day breakfast, sauté crumbled fish cakes with caramelized onions and top with crispy sunny side-up eggs fried in olive oil. Romesco sauce is a must!
Lighten it Up
If you prefer not to pan fry, brush or spray the fish cakes with oil and broil until golden on both sides.
Know Your Cook
Grace Parisi
Culinary Director Grace Parisi is a cook, writer and cookbook author. Formerly the Senior Test Kitchen Editor at Food & Wine Magazine and Executive Food Director at TimeInc Books, her work has appeared in Cooking Light, Health, O Magazine, Epicurious, Fitness, Today, Serious Eats, Martha Stewart, and many more. She’s the author of more than 6 books, among them The Portlandia Cookbook and Get Saucy, which was nominated for a James Beard award for Best Single Subject Cookbook.
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