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St Helena fish cakes

This is an interesting recipe because it comes from somewhere very, very far away from everywhere: a remote island (50 square miles in surface area) in the middle of the southern Atlantic Ocean. The only tourist attraction for the 3,000 tourists that accidentally find themselves there each year is the prison where Napoleon was held in exile by the British. 4,000 inhabitants and, believe it or not, they speak English.
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Ingredients

  • Potatoes ½ lb (300 g), peeled and quartered
  • Tuna fresh, ½ lb (300 g), see Note below
  • Canola oil
  • Onion 1, finely chopped
  • Garlic clove, 1, finely chopped
  • Bacon 1 slice or a handful of lardons, finely chopped
  • Parsley fresh, 1 Tbsp, see Note below
  • Thyme fresh, 1 Tbsp, see Note on Parsley below
  • Chile serrano, 1, finely chopped, see Note below
  • Salt + pepper
  • Paprika
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Egg 1, lightly beaten
  • Lemon 1, zested and juiced
  • Mayonnaise ¼ cup

Instructions

  • Cook the potatoes until easily pierced with a fork. (approx. 20 minutes, depending on oh so many factors: how old your potatoes are, how big your quarters are, how hard the water is, even how sharp your fork prongs are…)
  • Mash or rice the potatoes.
  • Finely chop the tuna. (or drain and break up with a fork) Combine with the potatoes.
  • Heat 1 Tbsp of canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, bacon and spices. Cook until browned. Then cool.
  • Combine the cooked onion-bacon-spice mix with the potatoes and tuna. Add in the egg and the lemon zest. Mix.
  • Shape into cakes, ¾ inch thick (1 ½ cm), 2 ½ inches in diameter (6 cm).
  • Add oil to the skillet and fry the cakes over medium heat, approximately 2-3 minutes per side.
  • Lay on paper towels to drain off excess oil.
  • Combine the mayonnaise with 1 tsp of the lemon juice.
  • Serve the cakes with the lemon mayo. Dream about escaping to Saint Helena before the general elections in November. Then remember that it’s your electoral duty to ensure that the U.S. presidency remains in safe hands. (After all an overseas ballot mailed from Saint Helena is not likely to arrive in time to save the democracy.)

Notes

Tuna: This is not at all in the spirit of The Week, but let’s be straight: fresh tuna is e-x-p-e-n-s-i-v-e. And this is for fish cakes, not sashimi. I wouldn’t think less of you if you pulled out the can opener right now.
Parsley: Again, while fresh parsley is not expensive, driving to the store and buying a whole stash of it just to muster up 1 Tbsp is. Dried parsley, anyone?
Chile: I consider this an optional ingredient. That might have just cost me my welcome on Saint Helena but serrano chiles are surely not a locally-sourced ingredient anyway. In any case, since my target lunch audience favors a mild palate, we passed on the chile.