MASA CRUSTED TROUT CAKES

Photo by Larry White

One thing that I learned living on the coast for the last 20 years is that crab cakes are somewhat overrated. Don't get me wrong, lump crab meat is one of the finer delicacies on Earth, but the attributes that make it so great often gets lost in cake form.

Fish on the other hand offer a little more bite and flavor when made into cakes. In my eyes they hold up to a tad bit more seasoning as well. And you don't need to use trout here. You can swap it out with red fish, bass, salmon or even crappie. The option it totally up to you, just keep in mind that the texture will change depending on what fish you use.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4-6 people

Cooks Notes:

• If you can't get your hands on any masa harina, you can substitute with more panko bread crumbs.

• You can swap out the herbs. Dill, tarragon, chives and cilantro are all great options.

• You can freeze these cakes for a few months if they are well wrapped or vacuum sealed.

• Reheat left overs in a 325 degree F oven. Microwaving them will turn them rubbery.

Ingredients

• 1 pound trout flesh (boneless/skinless) roughly chopped

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/2 cup bell peppers, small dice

• 1/2 cup onion, small dice

• 1 garlic clove, chopped

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

• a few dashes of hot sauce

• 2 tablespoon mayonnaise

• 1 tablespoon creole mustard (Dijon works too)

• 1 cup panko bread crumbs

• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

• 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped

• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 cup masa harina (for dusting the cakes)

• Oil for cooking the fish cakes

Directions

1. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onions, peppers and garlic. Sweat the vegetables until they are tender, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate, spread thin and let cool.

2. In a large bowl add the cooked ve and remaining ingredients (except the masa harina and frying oil). Mix well and place the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. This helps the mixture become tacky and will help with the forming of your fish cakes.

3. Form your cakes into the size you like. Dust each side of the cakes in the masa harina. Alternately, you can form the cakes into balls and roll them around in the masa, then flatten into disk shapes.

4. Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add enough cooking oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Once you see the pan start to lightly smoke, add your cakes and cook on each side for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. You may need to work in batches so that you don't overcrowd the pan. An over-crowded pan can lead to soggy cakes.