Boston Cod Cakes
Crispy golden patties made with flaked cod, mashed potatoes, and pantry staples, pan-fried until the outside is crunchy and the inside stays tender. A classic New England comfort dish ready in under 30 minutes.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 28g
Ingredients
- 1 lb frozen cod fillets, thawed
- 2 cups mashed potatoes (fresh or leftover)
- 8 whole saltine crackers
- 1 whole egg
- ½ tsp each salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil for frying
Instructions
- 1
Place the thawed cod fillets on a plate lined with paper towels, then press gently with another layer of paper towels to remove excess water so the cakes will be crispy when cooked.
- 2
Use a fork to flake the dried cod into small pieces (about the size of peas) in a large mixing bowl, breaking apart any thick clumps.
- 3
Crush the saltine crackers into fine crumbs between your fingers into a small bowl until they look like coarse sand, about 1 minute.
- 4
Add the 2 cups of mashed potatoes, the crushed crackers, 1 egg, 0.5 tsp salt, and 0.5 tsp pepper to the bowl with the cod flakes.
- 5
Stir with a wooden spoon until everything is evenly combined and holds together, about 1 minute; the mixture should feel like thick dough.
- 6
Use your hands to form 8 equal patties about 2.5 inches wide and 0.75 inches thick, flattening each gently on a plate as you shape them.
- 7
Pour 3 tablespoons of neutral oil into a 12-inch nonstick skillet and heat over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and slides quickly across the pan, about 90 seconds.
- 8
Slide 4 patties into the hot oil, spacing them so they do not touch, and leave them undisturbed to cook until the bottom is deep golden brown, about 3 minutes.
- 9
Use a thin metal spatula to slide under each patty and flip it in one smooth motion, then cook the other side until it reaches the same deep golden brown, another 2 to 3 minutes.
- 10
Transfer the finished patties to a clean plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil, then repeat steps 8–9 with the remaining 4 patties.
Tools you’ll need
- paper towels
- plate
- fork
- small bowl
- large mixing bowl
- wooden spoon
- 12-inch nonstick skillet
- thin metal spatula
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