Now that spring is here, it’s time to lighten up our cooking, and these Scandinavian Fish Cakes with Remoulade are a perfect recipe for this time of the year.
I first shared the recipe in my my cookbook The Pescatarian Cookbook for Beginners: 75 Recipes to Kick-Start Your Healthy Lifestyle, which came out last summer. As I wrote in the book,
“When cod is as plentiful as it is in Scandinavia, a number of preparations emerge from the regional cuisine. Fish cakes are among my favorite. Not altogether different from crab cakes–but generally less pricey–these salty little patties make a fine meal alongside a pile of simply boiled potatoes and buttery green peas.
“The ingredients for traditional Scandinavian fish cakes are simple: whitefish, salt, and pepper (maybe white pepper), potato starch or cornstarch, milk, eggs, nutmeg, and chives. I’ve added a little more in the way of flavoring, just because it’s the way I like it.”
Pair these with my recipe for red cabbage slaw with apples, beets, and dill for a deliciously Scandinavian meal.
And while we’re on the topic of springtime recipes, I recently shared a roundup of Scandinavian and Nordic-inspired recipes that would be perfect for this time of the year. It features everything from savory dishes like broiled mussels with dill butter (one of my favorite easy appetizers) and smørbrød with pickled herring, egg salad, watercress, and dill to sweets such as chilled rhubarb soup and Kvæfjordkake (also known as “world’s best cake”). Check out the recipe roundup by clicking here.
Then be sure to give these Scandinavian fish cakes with remoulade a try!
Scandinavian Fish Cakes with Remoulade
Ingredients
For the remoulade
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup minced dill pickles or cornichons
- 1/4 cup lightly chopped fresh herbs (e.g., parsley and dill)
- 2 tablespoons capers drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For the fish cakes
- 1 1/2 pounds cod fillets cut into small pieces
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 small onion roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons melted butter plus 2 tablespoons at room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- 2 scallions white and light-green parts only, chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
To make the remoulade
- In a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, pickles, herbs, capers, mustard, lemon juice, and salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
To make the fish cakes
- Put the cod on a paper-towel-lined plate and lightly sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 10 minutes. Using a paper towel, wipe away the moisture and any excess salt. You're drawing out the moisture here rather than seasoning the fish.
- In a food processor, finely chop the onion. Add the cod and pulse to break down the fish a bit. Add 3 tablespoons of melted butter, the eggs, scallions, parsley, dill, and lemon juice. Process until almost smooth. Add the flour and process until smooth and combined. (You can make the fish cakes up to this point, 1 to 2 hours in advance, just keep the fixture refrigerated.)
- Wet your hands and form the fish mixture into 12 balls. Slightly flatten each and place the cakes on a paper-towel-lined plate while you work so they continue to release excess moisture.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Carefully place teh patties into the pan, working in batches if needed. Cook for about 5 minutes per side until golden outside and cooked through. Serve with the remoulade.
Notes
If you enjoy this recipe for Scandinavian fish cakes with remoulade, you can find even more seafood recipes in my book The Pescatarian Cookbook for Beginners!
Recipe and quote excerpted from The Pescatarian Cookbook for Beginners, by Daytona Strong, published by Rockridge Press. Copyright © 2020 by Callisto Media. All rights reserved.
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