Butterbean ‘no Fishcake’

One of my favourite dishes from many moons ago was a good fish cake that was fresh and citrusy.

Over the years I have been trying to replicate the ingredients and flavours without the fish that would come close to what I remember and I think that this recipe comes close. Try it - you won’t be disappointed.

Makes 4 chunky ‘cakes’ or 6-8 regular sized ‘cakes’

Ingredients

1 can butterbean, drained (other beans work well including chickpeas and haricot beans)
2 large potatoes, washed and boiled until soft
Juice from 1 lemon and zest
1/4 cup fresh parsley, washed and chopped
1/4 cup fresh coriander, washed and chopped
1/8 cup of fresh dill, washed and chopped or 2 tbsp dried dill
1 tbsp plant-based butter
Salt & pepper to taste
2 tbsp kelp flakes, dulce flakes, or crumbled up pieces of seaweed (whichever you have to hand) - this is what adds a little fishiness to the cakes
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
Breadcrumbs for coating
Oil for frying
Optional: 1 small red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced

Method

1. After the potatoes have boiled, leave to one side to cool until you can touch them to remove the skins. The reason I boil with the skin on is that the potatoes don’t absorb excess water

2. Put the potato flesh in a food processor along with the beans, herbs, lemon & zest, seaweed, nutritional yeast, butter, salt & pepper and mix until the mixture comes together

3. Empty the mixture into a bowl

4. On a flat piece of baking paper, spread out the breadcrumbs

5. Roll the mixture out into 4/6/8 balls and then flatten out, coating the outside with the breadcrumbs

6. In a deep frying pan, add enough oil to cover the bottom and once heated, start to fry the ‘cakes' until golden brown on each side

7. I always like to cook my well so put the ‘cakes’ on a baking tray and bake them in addition to the frying for an extra 20 minutes in a pre-heated oven 190C/380F

8. Serve with mashed potatoes and vegetable of your choice (I had mine with peas and sweetcorn) and a wedge of fresh lemon/lime.

*To make this dish GLUTEN FREE, simply use gluten free bread crumbs!