Cod Cakes in Tomato Sauce

In my quest to cook my way through "Jerusalem", literally and figuratively, I bring you cod cakes in tomato sauce. Billed as typical of Syrian Jews, this dish combines a vibrant, aromatic sauce with flaky, delicate cakes full of savory flavors.

SERVES 4
make sure all ingredients are finely chopped to easily form the cod cakes
white bread, crusts removed 3 slices
cod (sustainably sourced), halibut, hake or pollock fillet, skinless and boneless 1 1/3 lb/600g
medium onion 1, finely chopped
garlic cloves 4, crushed
flat-leaf parsley 1 oz/30g, finely chopped
cilantro 1 oz/30g, finely chopped
ground cumin 1 tbsp
salt 1 tsp
large free-range eggs 2, beaten
olive oil 4 tbsp

For the tomato sauce
olive oil 2 tbsp
ground cumin 1 tsp
sweet paprika ½ tsp
ground coriander 1 tsp
medium onion 1, chopped
white wine 125ml/1/2 cup
chopped tomatoes 400g/14 oz tin I know, broken record, nevertheless, use Italian tomatoes - they taste so much better
red chilli 1, deseeded and finely chopped
garlic clove 1, crushed
caster sugar 2 tsp
mint leaves 2 tbsp, roughly chopped
salt and black pepper

First make the tomato sauce. Heat the olive oil in a very large frying pan for which you have a lid, and add the spices and onion. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until the onion is completely soft. Add the wine and simmer for 3 minutes. Make sure you cook off the alcohol before adding the tomatoes. Add the tomatoes, chilli, garlic, sugar, ½ tsp of salt and some black pepper. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until quite thick, taste to adjust the seasoning and set aside. This is a really versatile sauce - I plan to use it with other proteins and pasta dishes. I'm thinking it would be great with shrimp and penne. I also think kalamata olives are a natural addition to this sauce

While the sauce is cooking make the fish cakes. Place the bread in a food processor and blitz to form breadcrumbs. Chop up the fish very finely and place in a bowl with the bread and everything else, apart from the olive oil. Mix well and then, using your hands, shape the mixture into compact cakes, about 3/4"/2cm thick and 3 1/4"/8cm wide. The mixture should make 8 cakes. If they are very soft, refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up. You can add dry breadcrumbs if necessary, but try not to - the cakes should be fairly wet. Heat up half the oil in a frying pan and sear the cakes for 3 minutes on each side, so they colour well.




Add the remaining oil as you fry the cakes. Place the seared cakes gently, side by side, in the tomato sauce. Add enough water to partially cover the cakes, about 1 cup/200ml. Cover the pan with the lid and simmer on a very low heat for 15-20 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the cakes to settle, uncovered, for at least 10 minutes before serving warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with mint. The mint adds a bit of color, but I did not find it to be essential.

Enjoy!


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Location:Rockville, MD