Salt cod fishcakes with baked beans on toast

May 2 2008 by Bill Oldfield, The Journal

Serves four

SALTING fish was a way of preserving it before the invention of fridges. But, as a by product, it also has a wonderful effect on the flesh of white fish such as cod giving it a meatier texture and lifting the flavour.

The finished product is not salty as the fish is soaked to remove any excess before cooking. And this recipe's worth doing if only for having a go at making your own baked beans. You could used tinned haricot beans if you wished to avoid soaking and boiling dried beans.

Ingredients

:: Sea salt

:: 700g cod fillet

:: 1kg potatoes – peeled, boiled and mashed

:: Flour for dusting

:: 500g of dried haricot beans - soaked overnight in cold water

:: One tin of tomatoes

:: Two cloves garlic – peeled and crushed

:: Half a green chilli – seeded and chopped

:: Half a small onion – peeled and finely chopped

:: A pinch of allspice

:: A pinch of ground cinnamon

:: A pinch of white pepper

:: A pinch of salt

:: Thick-cut bread

:: A little oil and butter for frying

Method

To salt the cod, choose a non-reactive container such as a plastic carton or porcelain dish, large enough to take the fish, and line the bottom with a layer of salt.

Place the cod on top and then pour in enough salt to totally cover the fish. Place a suitable weight on top of the salt (I've used a house brick wrapped in clingfilm before now) and leave it in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours.

Before using, you need to remove the fish from the salt, rinse it and leave to soak in a large bowl of cold water for a few hours, at least overnight, before rinsing again.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (gas mark 6) and roast the cod for around 15 to 20 minutes until cooked and it flakes easily. Remove and allow to cool.

Simmer the soaked beans in fresh water for 1-1½ hours until tender.

Meanwhile, to make the tomato sauce, heat a little cooking oil in a medium saucepan, add the garlic, chilli and onion and sweat until soft. Add the allspice, cinnamon, salt and pepper and then the tinned tomatoes. Simmer gently for 15 to 30 minutes, liquidise and check seasoning. Combine with the cooked beans.

To make the fishcakes, mix the flaked cod and mashed potato, taste and season if necessary and mould into fishcakes. Heat a frying pan, add a little oil and butter, dust the fishcakes with flour and fry over a medium heat until golden on both sides.

Serve with the reheated baked beans, adding a knob of butter to finish, on top of toasted bread.

:: Oldfields Restaurants cookbook, Passion for Real Food, is out now and available in good bookshops for £12.95. For discounted copies contact us on (0191) 370-9595 or go to www.oldfieldsrestaurants.com