Newfoundland Fish Cakes
Newfoundland Fish Cakes. A delicious comfort food tradition that's part of our collective culinary culture. Made with the simplest of ingredients like potatoes, fish and onions.
Originally published Jan, 2009.
UPDATE: April 2015. I added new photos of this recipe today which are destined for my second cookbook this Fall.
Today's dish and photo come courtesy of 13 year old guest chef Laura Taylor. Laura is from from Conception Bay South and was looking for tips on making Fish Cakes the traditional Newfoundland way.
She chose fish cakes as a traditional Newfoundland meal to complete an assignment for her Grade 8 Social Studies class at Vila Nova School.
She is a French Immersion student, hence the photo label Gateau de Poisson.
This very simple dish was a staple on many Newfoundland kitchen tables for who knows how long? Probably hundreds of years, given that the simple ingredients were readily available from the land and the sea.
I've also included a great brunch idea for this traditional favourite by incorporating fish cakes in to a version of Eggs Benedict! Get my shortcut Hollandaise Sauce recipe here.
Newfoundland fish cakes, a traditional favourite.
I remember my grandmother's cooking them in large cast iron skillets in the rendered fat from making scrunchions. For our non-native readers, scrunchions are a very traditional accompaniment to several traditional Newfoundland meals.
They are simply cured fat back pork which is diced in small cubes and then fried until crispy to render out most of the fat.
It does my heart good to know that our food culture is still being kept alive in the classroom. You did a great job on these, Laura, I think they look delicious.
If your Social Studies teacher doesn't give you an A on this one, tell him to take it up with me! 😉
A brunch idea and an easy lower sodium substitution.
One of my brunch favourites uses these traditional fish cakes in a new way by adding placed eggs and Hollandaise sauce. I sometimes add some crumbled crisp cooked bacon on top as well, because what isn't better with bacon?!
If you don't like salt fish, or just if you are trying to reduce sodium in your diet, fresh or frozen cod can easily be substituted.
The only thing to be watchful for is seasoning the potato mix. It will likely need a little more salt to taste, to make up for some of what was lost in the substitution.
As always, taste as you go, and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
Looking for more Newfoundland recipes?
If you'd like to see more traditionally inspired recipes from our province, please check out this collection on some of our Most Popular Newfoundland recipes.
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Newfoundland Fish Cakes
Newfoundland Fish Cakes. These traditional Newfoundland fish cakes have been made for countless generations using the most basic of ingredients like potatoes, salt fish and onions.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds salt dried cod (See note below for substituting fresh fish)
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 small chopped onion
- 6 cups mashed potato
- 1 beaten egg
- 2 tablespoon dried savoury, (optional) (See notes for substitutions)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Soak the salt cod in cold water overnight.
- Simmer the salt cod in boiling water for about 15 minutes. Drain the water off the fish and allow the fish to cool to almost room temperature.
- When the fish is cool, flake it apart with a fork into small pieces.
- In a sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the onions and cook until they are softened.
- Add the flaked fish along with the mashed potato, egg, pepper and savoury.
- Mix together until well combined, then form into small cakes and roll in flour.
- Fry the fish cakes in canola oil over medium heat until golden brown on both sides.
- Serve with scrunchions if desired.
Notes
If you don't like salt fish, or just if you are trying to reduce sodium in your diet, fresh or frozen cod can easily be substituted.
The only thing to be watchful for is seasoning the potato mix. It will likely need a little more salt to taste, to make up for some of what was lost in the substitution.
As always, taste as you go, and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
Savoury is a very traditional herb for this recipe but if it is not readily available you can substitute other hers which go well with fish, like parsley, dill, or even tarragon if you like it.
Prep time does not include the overnight soaking time for the salt, dried cod. Scrunchions are ½ inch cubes of cured pork fatback that are fried and rendered to a crispy texture. The scrunchions and rendered fat get served over the fish cakes.
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.
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Rock Recipes a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Our product recommendations are almost exclusively for those we currently use or have used in the past.
Nutrition Information
Yield
18Serving Size
gAmount Per Serving Calories 179Saturated Fat 1gCholesterol 73mgSodium 2689mgCarbohydrates 9gFiber 1gProtein 25g
This was my 1st time trying this recipe for the Newfoundland Fish Cakes and i must say my husbandand i simply loved them. The recipe was easy and fast to do. I am impressed by the flavour of them. That is just what i needed a recipe that does not take all day to make. Very delicious!! I would recommend them to anyone who likes fish! Thank you for posting the recipe it sure came in handy.
When I'm missing down home this is what I cook. It cures the longing to be back home. Sure is one of the best ways to cure missing the rock
Should the potatoes be left to cool to room temperature as well?
Not to room temperature but cooled down enough to handle.
Savory is not an option must a necessity for the flavor. Onions can be added just to the fish/potato mix and they cook just fine. This was my Mother's way of cooking fishcakes--except now I buy deboned saltfish. I have been told they are very good.
I always boil my potatoes the day before. Let cool and then cover them with a paper towel and platic wrap.. Place in fridge. This paper towel idea takes the wetness out of the potatoes.
These fish cakes were amazing! I omitted the savory because my husband gets heartburn when he eats it. Also, I fried up the onions with scrunchions instead of butter. I then added the scrunchions to the mixture. I used the fat from the scrunchions to fry up the fish cakes. I served my fish cakes with mustard pickles 🙂 Thanks so much for this awesome recipe!!
Tazz that is exactly how my mom would make them and now I do too!!!
I just mad these. They are great!! A simple and flavourful recipe. Awesome!
Nothing beats the traditional favourites! Glad you enjoyed them.
I make mine up the night before a dinner party, refrigerate for the savoury to mingle & take out about 1/2 hour before frying!
I serve mini fish cake appetizers with a sweet Asian sauce mixed with sour cream or light mayo diluted with milk. Always a big hit especially for those that have not had fish cakes with the Nfld savoury before, yes it is the savoury that makes a difference,
can you use salmon instead of the cod?
Yes. I sometimes do a mix of sweet potato and white potato to make salmon cakes.
Is it possible to sub another white fish for cod, like frozen flounder? I live in Saskatchewan and salt dried cod may not be available.
Absolutely. I've often seen them made with unsalted cod.
We loved these ! So easy to make & so yummy! I didn't have to soak the cod overnight just put it in cold water in the morning & gave it 4-5 good rinses throughout the day!
Can I freeze these?
Before or after cooking, which is best?
Before cooking.
Can I freeze these?
Yes on a cookie shhet first, then with wax or parchment paper between them.
This may be a stupid question but if you have fresh cod, could you use that instead of salt fish and would it taste as good? Would adding salt to the dish, provide the same taste as salt fish?
Salt fish is quite different. These are also made with fresh fish on occasion.
Please list a few things that you serve with your fish cakes.
Also, What type of veggies taste best with these fish cakes?
Lots of times we have them with brunch. think eggs and hollandaise as a new eggs Benedict version. At meal times simple steamed vegetables of any sort or even a big salad is enough to serve.
WE serve them with carrots and cream sauce.
That sounds gorgeous...
My mother always served them with stewed tomatoes and peas or green beans.
We serve them with homemade beans and fresh rolls or bread
We serve them with green tomato chow chow on the side. Yummy!
We like them with eggs and homemade baked beans. Yum!
baked beans and fresh
homemade rolls