Name: Smoked haddock brandade cakes with lime yogurt
Ingredients: 800ml - 1 litre milk; 500g smoked haddock; 500g mashing potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced; 3 sprigs fresh thyme; 3 bay leaves (fresh, if possible); 1 garlic clove, crushed; 2 tbsp chopped parsley; 3 tbsp olive oil; 80g plain flour, for dusting; 2-3 free-range eggs, beaten; 200g panko; 100ml vegetable oil, for frying; lime wedges, to serve; salt and pepper; 300g greek yogurt; 2 tbsp coriander, finely chopped; 1 lime, finely zested; 30ml lime juice; 2 tbsp olive oil

Smoked haddock brandade cakes with lime yogurt

Starter Canape / Party food

Serves 6

It is the fluffy cake contrasting with the crunchy crust that makes these so appealing. Make them whatever size you want, and serve with the yogurt and lime sauce or, for less effort, with lime wedges.

Ingredients

800ml - 1 litre	milk
500g	smoked haddock
500g	mashing potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
3	sprigs fresh thyme
3	bay leaves (fresh, if possible)
1	garlic clove, crushed
2 tbsp	chopped parsley
3 tbsp	olive oil
80g	plain flour, for dusting
2-3	free-range eggs, beaten
200g	panko
100ml	vegetable oil, for frying
	lime wedges, to serve
	salt and pepper
FOR THE SAUCE
300g	greek yogurt
2 tbsp	coriander, finely chopped
1	lime, finely zested
30ml	lime juice
2 tbsp	olive oil

Method

Put all the sauce ingredients in a bowl, whisk and season to taste. Chill, or leave out for up to an hour.
Bring the milk to a boil in a medium saucepan, turn down the heat and lay the haddock in the hot milk, making sure it is covered, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the fish with a slotted spoon, put it in a bowl and leave until cool enough to handle. Peel off any skin and roughly flake.
Put the potato, thyme, bay and a pinch of salt into the haddock-infused milk and return to the heat. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for eight minutes, until the potatoes are soft. Drain, and discard the milk and herbs.
While they're still hot, roughly mash the potatoes in a large bowl, add the flaked fish, garlic, parsley and oil, and combine - don't over-mix, otherwise you'll break up the fish too much. The mixture should be soft, but sturdy enough to shape. Season to taste. Use two spoons to form the mix into quenelles, about 50g each, or roll in your hands into similar-sized balls.
Prepare three bowls, one with flour, one with eggs and one with breadcrumbs. Gently coat the quenelles in flour, shaking off any excess, then roll in the egg and finally coat with breadcrumbs. (You can now chill the cakes until ready to cook them; if you do so, you'll need to put them in a hot oven for a few minutes after frying to heat them right through.)
Heat the oil in a medium frying pan. Once very hot, reduce the flame to medium and lay in a few fishcakes - don't crowd them. Fry on all sides for a minute, until golden brown. Drain on kitchen towel. Repeat with the rest of the cakes. Arrange three fishcakes on each plate, and serve with a wedge of lime and the sauce on the side.