Codcakes in Tomato Sauce – Ottolenghi!

How much stock should we put in fortune cookie sayings?

A recent cookie suggested that a new friend would have a big impact on my life. And so it is! A new chef friend, Karen Etingin, of L’Affichiste, Montreal’s only vintage poster gallery, directed me to make Ottolenghi’s Codcakes in Tomato Sauce. And so I did!

Codcakes in Tomato Sauce

Codcakes

• 3/4 c fresh breadcrumbs, or panko
• 1 1/3 lb white fish, cod, halibut, hake or pollock, filleted, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, or 7 scallions finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/3 c Italian parsley, finely chopped
• 1/3 c coriander, finely chopped
• 1 T ground cumin
• 1 t kosher salt
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 4 T olive oil

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, except for the olive oil. Mix well and then form into 8 cakes, about 1-inch thick and 3-inches wide. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Heat up half the oil in a pan over medium heat and sear fish cakes 3 minutes per side, adding oil between batches.

Place the cakes in the tomato sauce. Add 3 – 6 ounces of water to the sauce to raise the level to partially cover the cakes. Cover the pan and simmer on very low for 15 – 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the cakes to settle, uncovered, for at least 10 minutes before serving warm or at room temperature. Garnish with mint. Can be made a day ahead and re-warmed. Serves 4.

Tomato Sauce

• 2 1/2 T olive oil
• 1 1/2 t ground cumin
• 1/2 t sweet paprika
• 1 t ground coriander
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 oz white wine
• 14 oz tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 t caster sugar (icing sugar)
• 2 t mint leaves, roughly chopped
• 1/2 t kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large pan with a lid, heat olive oil over medium heat, then add spices and onion. Cook stirring occasionally for 8 minutes. Add wine, simmer 3 minutes, then add tomato, chili, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes. Adjust the seasoning. The sauce is so good that you could consider doubling the sauce recipe.

CODCAKES IN TOMATO SAUCE – OTTOLENGHI! Print Ready Recipe

Final notes:

• Hop on over to L’Affichiste in Old Montreal, 471 rue Saint-Francois-Xavier and watch how Karen mesmerizes you into becoming a vintage poster collector. She may also give you some recipe advice. And if she does, I recommend you take it seriously.
• Do you know the 7 best plant sources of Omega-3 fatty acids?
• Do you ever think about how what you eat can influence cancer?
• Here’s a vintage song to listen to while forming codcakes – Woody Guthrie‘s Talking Fishing Blues.