smoked mackerel and parsnip fish cakes

We should be eating as much oily fish as we can, and this is a delicious way to do so. Serve with a home-made tomato sauce.

Serves 4

• 800g parsnips, peeled (unless organic) and roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp cold-pressed rapeseed oil or 1 tbsp set coconut oil
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 75-125g fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• Small piece of fresh turmeric root, chopped
• 3 smoked mackerel (or 6 fillets), about 600g
• Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• Grated zest and juice of 1 lime
• 2 medium eggs, beaten
• 175g fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
• Olive oil for frying and drizzling

Boil the parsnips until soft. Drain and allow to cool. Heat the rapeseed or coconut oil in a frying pan and gently fry the onion, chilli, garlic, ginger and turmeric for 10 minutes until softened.

Skin and bone the mackerel and flake roughly.

Put the onion mixture, parsnips and mackerel into a food processor and blitz briefly to combine. Add the lemon and lime juice and zest and season with plenty of salt and pepper. Cool in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6, if baking the fish cakes. Shape the mixture into 12 fish cakes, dip into the beaten egg and cover with breadcrumbs. Place on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and bake for 15 minutes (or fry over a gentle heat in a little olive oil), until the fish cakes are golden brown on both sides and piping hot. Drain on kitchen paper and serve immediately.

This recipe originally appeared in Good Good Food.