Serves 2-3
4 medium new potatoes, approx 300g
230g kipper fillets with butter
bunch watercress
1 egg
2 tsp smooth Dijon mustard
black pepper
flour for dusting
4 tbsp sunflower or groundnut oil
for the pea puree:
200g frozen petits pois or fresh peas
1 tsp mint sauce or 1 tbsp finely chopped mint
3 tbsp thick cream
lemon wedges to serve
Method Scrape or scrub the potatoes. Cut into even-sized chunks and boil in salted water until tender. Drain, return to the pan and dry mash. Meanwhile, cook the kippers. If using boil-in-the-bag kippers, boil for 6 minutes, lift the bag out of the water, snip open and pour fish and juices into a shallow bowl. If using grill kippers, lay, skin-side down, on a foil-lined grill pan topped with the butter. Grill for 6 minutes. Remove the flesh from the skin, discarding larger whiskery bones and break into small pieces. Chop the watercress. Whisk the egg. Stir watercress, egg, mustard, fish and juices into the potato, forming into a ball. Generously flour a large plate and your hands. Take 1 tbsp mixture and quickly form into little cakes about the size of a flattened gold ball. Roll in flour and cook quickly, in batches, until crisp and golden. If convenient, chill, covered with clingfilm, for up to 24 hours. To make the pea puree, boil the peas in salted water until tender. Drain and reserve 3 tbsp water. Place peas, mint sauce, cream and 1 tbsp water in the bowl of a liquidizer/food processor. Blitz until smooth adding extra water if it seems too thick. Serve with pea puree and a lemon wedge.
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