Making Fishcakes with Ettie

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During a recent visit to the Island, we had a lovely afternoon making yummy fishcakes with the lovely Ettie Benjamin.  Ettie cooks for the Governor of St Helena at Plantation House, and we’re very grateful to her for sharing her recipe and showing us how to make the most delicious fishcakes.

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Ingredients

• 1 kg Fresh Tuna Can be less or other fish
• 1 kg Potato Basic rule is to have a 50/50 ratio of fish to potato
• 2 Onions
• 1 Chili Or more to taste
• 1 Parsley Large bunch
• Salt and Pepper (to taste)
• Mixed Spice (to taste)
• 3 rashers Bacon
• 1 Egg

Instructions

• Peel, dice and boil potato with a little salt
• Place aside to cool
• Prep onion, chilli and parsley by finely chopping
• “Shred” Tune into a mince - always scrapping away against the grain of the flesh.  Removing any stringing white sinew
• Once cooled, mashed the potatoes, add the onions, chilli and parsley to the mix.
• Season to taste
• Combine the minced tuna with the mashed potato and add the mixed spice to taste
• If using additional bacon,  dice the rashers and add into the mix. If using egg, whisk in 1 egg to the mix at this stage.  NB: the egg is often referred to as a ‘binder’ to the mix but shoudn't be necessary when rolling into fishcakes if your ratio of fish to potatoes is equal.
• Scoop and roll the mixture into balls and lightly flatten to form thick fishcakes using the palm of your hand has a guide for the size
• Shallow fry the cakes in hot oil until golden brown on each side
• Serve in a roll, with rice and runner beans and onion brown gravy

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