Fish Cakes with Homemade Tartar Sauce Photo Credit: Kristin Teig
To most people, New England cuisine begins with good fish. With four centuries of maritime tradition behind it, seafood has pride of place in New England kitchens—where any fish (crustaceans and mollusks, too, for that matter) can and will be expertly prepared, often with little more than a lemon wedge for garnish. Some of these dishes (such as boiled cod or fish with oatmeal) put economy ahead of flavor, but some of the most economical foods were also the most delicious. Consider a hot batch of savory fish balls or fish cakes, made with seasoned mashed potato to stretch the fish and fried until crisp and golden brown. It’s a comfort food that connects generations.
In the early 20th century, seafood consumption peaked during Lent, the 40-day period before Easter, when many Catholics fasted and abstained from meat. Because New England had the largest Catholic population in the country at that time, the area’s newspapers and magazines offered an annual batch of recipes for turning meatless meals into magic with Lenten-approved dishes such as (quoting from Yankee’s recipe archive here) cheese tarts with shrimp, cashew-stuffed red snapper, and whiskery codfish balls. An inexpensive favorite, those deep-fried balls got their furry moniker thanks to the “crisp little tendrils of salt cod whispering out from their salty potato interiors.”
Cod, fresh or salted, has historically been the most popular fish in New England, lending its name to Cape Cod, hanging in holy wooden form over the Massachusetts House of Representatives, and prompting food historian Clementine Paddleford to give it special mention in How America Eats, her 1960 ode to regional cooking. “Beans and brown bread make the Saturday night menus,” she wrote after visiting Boston, “but the cod is kept sacred. It shows up everywhere.” Today, cod stocks (“noblest of the finny families”) have radically diminished, and many have taken it off their menus.
Although Lenten dietary restrictions and an abundant supply may not be the driving forces behind today’s fish consumption, there are still plenty of reasons to break out the chowder pot and tartar sauce. Whether it’s in celebration of our seafaring heritage, in support of New England fishermen, or in response to campaigns like “Meatless Monday” encouraging personal and planetary health, there are as many delicious, eco-friendly dishes to enjoy today as there are … well … you know the rest.
A cousin to codfish balls, which are deep-fried, fish cakes are patted out and fry up wonderfully in the pan—easier to prepare and a bit healthier, too. We’ve substituted the more-sustainable hake for the traditional cod, but any firm white fish will work. Double the recipe to feed a crowd or freeze half for later.
Aimee Tucker is Yankee’s senior digital editor. A lifelong New Englander and Yankee contributor since 2010, Aimee has written columns devoted to history, foliage, retro food, and architecture, and regularly shares her experiences in New England travel, home, and gardening. Her most memorable Yankee experiences to date include meeting Stephen King, singing along to a James Taylor Fourth of July concert at Tanglewood, and taking to the skies in the Hood blimp for an open-air tour of the Massachusetts coastline.
Made these tonight (a Friday night!) and they were delicious! Next time I make them, I’ll put them all together the day before so I can just come home and fry them up. The fresh lemon zest and homemade tartar sauce make a big difference
Back in the 70s and early 80s a friend and I had fish cakes, baked beans and picked beets all for the royal sum of 1.85…loved them…Miss the little place and the company
When I was a young girl my dad made sure mom made extra mashed potatoes on Thursday so that he could use the leftover potatoes to make codfish cakes on Friday. I am sorry I never got his “DIY” recipe as I’m sure we never had scallions, cayenne, panko crumbs in our household. Nor tartar sauce. I intend to try this recipe & I just like to squeeze lemon over anything fish.
My Mom would make Fish Cakes with leftover cold mashed potatoes and a box of Beardsley’s Cod Fish Mix. They were delicious. Unfortunately Beardsley’s went out of business even before Mom passed. We looked all over for it. But just a delicious memory now. I may give this recipe a try but some of the ingredients I’m not too thrilled about.
Growing up in Marblehead, MA, my grandmother would go to the dock on friday and buy a whole haddock from the fishermen coming in. She would make this wonderful dish. she would clean the haddock, boil it with potatoes and when done she would serve it with fried salt pork scraps poured over it….Heart attack on a plate but oh so delicious…anyone know what it was called?
I don’t know the name of this dish, but my mother was from Petite-Vallée in Gaspésie, Québec, Canada and she was doing almost the same recipe with dried salted cod. Hello cholesterol, but it was delicious.
Made these tonight (a Friday night!) and they were delicious! Next time I make them, I’ll put them all together the day before so I can just come home and fry them up. The fresh lemon zest and homemade tartar sauce make a big difference
So glad to hear you enjoyed the fish cakes, Karen!
Back in the 70s and early 80s a friend and I had fish cakes, baked beans and picked beets all for the royal sum of 1.85…loved them…Miss the little place and the company
When I was a young girl my dad made sure mom made extra mashed potatoes on Thursday so that he could use the leftover potatoes to make codfish cakes on Friday. I am sorry I never got his “DIY” recipe as I’m sure we never had scallions, cayenne, panko crumbs in our household. Nor tartar sauce. I intend to try this recipe & I just like to squeeze lemon over anything fish.
I agree with you,m Dottie – I don’t have scallions, cayenne, panko crumbs, either. And I had been looking forward to the recipe. 🙁
Of all people, folks at Yankee should not be suggesting that any extra mashed potato should be discarded.
My Mom would make Fish Cakes with leftover cold mashed potatoes and a box of Beardsley’s Cod Fish Mix. They were delicious. Unfortunately Beardsley’s went out of business even before Mom passed. We looked all over for it. But just a delicious memory now. I may give this recipe a try but some of the ingredients I’m not too thrilled about.
Our Saturday night supper was codfish cakes, baked beans and brown bread when I was growing up. I loved them.
Long time subscriber to Yankee Magazine and fateful follower of “ weekend with Yankee”. Grew up in Newburyport Ma.
One med onion, two eggs, T corn meal, 2 T flour, can of salmon mix and fry in oil Yum hum. Enjoy. Jonne
Growing up in Marblehead, MA, my grandmother would go to the dock on friday and buy a whole haddock from the fishermen coming in. She would make this wonderful dish. she would clean the haddock, boil it with potatoes and when done she would serve it with fried salt pork scraps poured over it….Heart attack on a plate but oh so delicious…anyone know what it was called?
I don’t know the name of this dish, but my mother was from Petite-Vallée in Gaspésie, Québec, Canada and she was doing almost the same recipe with dried salted cod. Hello cholesterol, but it was delicious.