Golden Fish Cakes

• 2 large potatoes, roughly chopped
• salt and black pepper
• 1 lb (500 g) cod or haddock fillets
• 11/4 cups (300 ml) milk
• 1 bay leaf
• 9 black peppercorns
• 4 tbsp butter
• 4 tbsp chopped parsley
• 3 cups (175 g) fresh bread crumbs
• 1 egg, beaten
• sunflower or corn oil for frying
• tartar sauce to serve

STEPS :

1. Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 15-20 minutes, until tender.
2. Meanwhile, put the fish into a pan with the milk, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Bring slowly to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes or until the fish is just opaque.
3. Drain the fish, reserving the liquid. Leave the fish to cool, then remove and discard the skin and bones and flake the fish.
4. Drain the potatoes. Turn into a large bowl, add the butter and 3 tbsp of the reserved fish-cooking liquid, and mash until smooth and creamy. Add the flaked fish, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste and mix well.
5. Spread the bread crumbs on a plate. With your hands, shape the fish and potato mixture into 8 flat cakes, 3 in (7 ern) in diameter. Dip each fish cake into the beaten egg, then coat with bread crumbs.
6. Heat a little oil in a skillet and fry the fish cakes, a few at a time, for about 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Serve immediately with the tartar sauce.