Yorkshire

A community recipe by chocolate nemesis

Not tested or verified by Nigella.com

Introduction

In Yorkshire, if you happen to visit a Fish & Chip shop and ask for a "Cake" it means a fishcake, but not one with mashed potato and parsley. The Yorkshire "Cake" has two slices of potato with a piece of white fish mainly cod or haddock in the middle, covered in batter and deep-fried in lard or dripping. I know you maybe alarmed about using lard or dripping in deep-frying, but the taste it imparts to the end product is so astounding. Of course by all means, you may wish to fry the "Cakes"in vegetable oil, perfectly fine, although it will not provide such an authentic taste. Mainly these "cakes" are served with chips, mushy peas seasoned with salt and vinegar. So delicious.

Ingredients

Serves: 4

Metric Cups

For the Fishcakes

16 slices potatoes (1/4 inch)
450 grams white fish (cod or haddock)
1 plain flour (for dusting)
1 lard (or vegetable oil, for frying)
1 salt
1 vinegar

For the Batter

175 grams plain flour
2 tablespoons salt
125 millilitres water
150 millilitres malt vinegar

For the Fishcakes

16 slices potatoes (1/4 inch)
15⅞ ounces white fish (cod or haddock)
1 all-purpose flour (for dusting)
1 lard (or vegetable oil, for frying)
1 salt
1 vinegar

For the Batter

6⅙ ounces all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons salt
4 fluid ounces water
5 fluid ounces malt vinegar

Method

Yorkshire is a community recipe submitted by chocolate nemesis and has not been tested by Nigella.com so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe.

To make the batter, put the flour and salt in a bowl, and make a well in the centre. Add the water and vinegar and whisk until smooth. Leave to rest.

Using a 6cm (2½ in) ring, cut the potato slices into even sizes. Cut the fish into thin 55g (2 oz) pieces of a similar size. Dust lightly with flour.

Sandwich the pieces of the fish between two pieces of potato. Dip the cakes into the flour and shake off the excess, then dip into the batter to cover well.

Heat the lard, beef dripping or oil, in a flat- bottomed pan to about 190°C / 375°F. Carefully drop a fishcake into the hot fat and let it settle to the bottom. Add another couple of fishcakes if there is room. They will rise to the top when hot enough, about 5 minutes. Turn over, and then cook for another 5 minutes, until brown.

Take out and drain well on kitchen paper. They're better left for 5 minutes as they are too hot to eat straightway, and they do need to drain very well. Serve hot with salt and vinegar and if you like tomato ketchup.

To make the batter, put the flour and salt in a bowl, and make a well in the centre. Add the water and vinegar and whisk until smooth. Leave to rest.

Using a 6cm (2½ in) ring, cut the potato slices into even sizes. Cut the fish into thin 55g (2 oz) pieces of a similar size. Dust lightly with flour.

Sandwich the pieces of the fish between two pieces of potato. Dip the cakes into the flour and shake off the excess, then dip into the batter to cover well.