Homemade gluten-free fish cakes!  The fish and potatoes are cooked first, then mixed with some seasoning before being breaded.  Pre-prepared fish cakes can be frozen after chilling to cook later.   They're fully cooked, they just need pan-frying to reheat.  However, my kids love them so much, they like to eat them for breakfast and snacks if I cook them all at once and keep leftovers in the fridge.  We like them with oven-roasted broccoli (drizzle lightly with olive oil, salt & pepper, mix well, and roast at 400-425 F until browned at the edges.  You can cook fresh broccoli or frozen, straight from the freezer. :) ) Enjoy! 

Homemade Gluten-Free Fish Cakes with a side of oven-roasted broccoli

Homemade Fish Cakes

Based off a recipe from The Fish and Seafood Cookbook - from ocean to table

*I like to make the potatoes and fish at the same time on the stovetop. 

Boiled Potatoes

In a large pot, put the following and cover with cold water: 

1 lb red (or white) thin-skinned baby potatoes, coarsely chopped

1 Tbsp salt

Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower to medium heat and continue boiling for about 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender.  Drain and put potatoes in a large bowl.  Mash potatoes until mostly smooth (some chunks are fine).  

Simmered Fish

In a low wide skillet that has a lid you can use, place: 

1 lb cod fish fillets (Make sure the skin and bones are removed.  You can use salmon OR a mix of both fish, if you prefer)

Cover the fish with water, until JUST covered.  Place over medium heat and bring to a boil.   Once boiling, cover with a lid.  Lower heat to low and simmer gently for 5 minutes.  Remove fish with a slotted spoon (to drain gently) and place on a plate.  Use a fork to flake apart the fish, double checking for any bones (remove and discard if you find them).  

Cooked fish, flaking apart nicely.  Ready to remove with a slotted spoon and flake apart. 

To Assemble the Fish Cakes

Line one cookie sheet with parchment paper (if desired), to place your fish cakes prior to baking.  

In your large bowl that has the mashed potatoes, add and mix together: 

cooked, flaked fish, from above

2 Tbsp cream OR whole milk (thick coconut milk will work, too)

zest of 1 lemon

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1-2 tsp freeze dried chives OR 1 - 2 Tbsp fresh chives, finely diced

2 tsp dried tarragon

1 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Taste a sampling of your fish and potato mixture and add extra salt and pepper, to taste.   

In three separate bowls, place: 

Bowl 1:  

1/4 - 1/3 cup gluten-free flour (can just use brown or white rice flour or Kristin's Gluten-Free Flour Mix)

Bowl 2: 

2-3 eggs, beaten

Bowl 3:

1-2 cups gluten-free breadcrumbs (I prefer the ones made from rice flour)

*This next part is easiest if you have TWO people helping.  One to make the fish cakes and dip in flour and dip in the egg.  Then another person to dip them in the breadcrumbs and place them on your parchment-lined pan.  I find it keeps from getting egg/breadcrumbs all over fingertips. 

Make round cakes with your hands by scooping out small, plum-sized balls and flattening them, rounding the edges with your fingers.  Dip each flattened fish cake in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs.  Place the fish cake on your parchment paper lined baking tray.  Repeat until finished.   I find it makes about 1 full tray of fish cakes.  

Fish cakes dipped in flour, egg, and gluten-free breadcrumbs, then placed on a cookie sheet to chill. 

Gently cover the tray with plastic wrap.  Place your coated fish cakes in a refrigerator and let chill 30-60 minutes.  This will help them hold together really nicely.  You can easily flatten them with a spatula to make them neater looking once they've chilled.   At this point, you can freeze extras in a flat layer in a ziploc bag, then cook them later straight from frozen - they'll just need an extra couple minutes per side.  Just make sure your fish cakes are nicely flattened and aren't too thick, so they won't take too long to heat thoroughly.  

Heat 1/4 - 1/2" oil in the bottom of a frying pan over medium heat.  Cook the fish cakes ~5 minutes per side, until nicely golden brown.   Remove to a paper-towel lined baking tray after frying.  

Flattened after chilling, these fish cakes fry up nicely in a bit of oil.  About 4-5 minutes per side, until nicely browned.  They're already cooked, so they just need to heat and crisp. 

Cooked and placed on paper towels.  Yum!

These fish cakes are delicious served with fresh lemon wedges, tartar sauce, and a side salad.  The kids, of course, like them with kethcup.  Enjoy!  

Isn't that a nice looking fish cake.  My kids even ate leftovers for breakfast the next morning.  

Gluten Free Homemade Fish Cakes by Successfully Gluten Free!