New England Style Fish Cakes

I've made a couple different varieties of fish cakes before - salmon, cod and tilapia - but this time I wanted to try a New England style cake using haddock. I had bought two fillets of haddock a couple weeks ago while at Costco and needed to use it up because it was taking too much space in my freezer. I decided against just broiling it, knowing my kids would turn their noses up. I knew if I could get them to eat it by making it into a cake and then pan-frying it. 

This recipe was easy to make, it's a little longer than I would usually spend on dinner during the week but I'm currently off a couple days before starting my new job on Monday, so I had some extra time. My kids both gobbled it up and my husband raved about it. Success! I prefer cocktail sauce with my fish cakes, while my husband likes tartar sauce - they're both great regardless of which on you prefer! 

1.5 pounds haddock fillets, skin removed

1 1/2 - 2 cups breadcrumbs (I used a mix of Italian style and plain panko)

1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

2 eggs

3/4 Tbsp dried basil

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Chop the fish into two inch chunks and pulse in a food processor until the fish is broken down into smaller pieces. Transfer the pureed fish into a bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Mix until combined. 

In the bottom of a Dutch oven, heat about a tablespoon of canola oil over medium-high heat. While the oil is heating, use a ice cream scoop to make small fish cakes. Flatten slightly before carefully placing in the hot pan. Allow to cakes to cook on one side for 5 minutes and then flip over to cook for an additional five minutes. Once cooked, removed from the pan and place on a paper-towel lined plate. Repeat with the remaining mixture and add additional oil if necessary. 

Adapted from: Tasty Kitchen