If you’re reading this, I assume you either live in the UK or have UK delivery available. If not, you may want to consider going gluten-free for Christmas as much of the country is gluten free now, and most retailers will deliver right to your door.
It’s easy to assume that when it comes to gluten-free diets, the variety of foods available is quite limited. Gluten-free recipes often feature white rice, potato and pasta as the base, with limited ingredients available such as olive and pumpkin. While this is true in many instances, it doesn’t have to be. There are plenty of vegetables, fruits and even some grains that are naturally gluten free. For example, quinoa is a fantastic source of plant-based proteins which are high in essential nutrients. It’s also easier to prepare than traditional rice or wheat-based dishes.
On the quest to discover the optimum cooking time for frozen fish cakes, I decided to experiment with a range of different fish varieties and the varying effects this had on the cooking time. It started with some salmon fish cakes towards the end of last year and continued into this year, resulting in this article.
Table of Contents
The Best Way To Cook Fish Cakes
To begin with, I always recommend marinating my fish. This not only adds a bit of flavour, but it also tenderises the protein. If you don’t have the time to do this, then putting the fish in some milk for 20 minutes beforehand will take its place. This not only helps the protein blend better with the flour, but it gives it a bit of an appetising glaze when cooked.
It’s important to note here that some fish varieties are better than others when it comes to being frozen. For example, trout and salmon both have a high proportion of body fat, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamins. These compounds act as natural preservatives, meaning that the fish cakes will remain moist even after prolonged periods of storage. In contrast, the flesh of white fish contains fewer nutrients and is easily damaged by prolonged freezing.
White fish and tilapia are also the most common culprits in cases of food poisoning. This is mainly down to poor food handling techniques coupled with the fact these fish are typically purchased pre-frozen and are therefore more likely to contain low levels of nutrients.
How Long To Cook The Fish Cakes
Having established the importance of marinating and thawing frozen ingredients before use, I then set about establishing the best cooking time for my particular type of fish cakes. To find this, I tested a range of different cooking methods and the time required for each one. As can be seen in the graph below, there is no single preferred way of preparing the fish cakes. Some methods are faster than others, but each one has its merits. The most effective way of cooking frozen fish cakes is determined by a number of factors, including the type of fish, the thickness of the cake and the desired tenderness.
The thicker the cake, the longer it will take to cook it. In general, a 1/2 inch thick layer will take approximately 10 minutes to cook, while a 1 inch thick layer will take slightly longer (about 12 minutes). Interestingly, when put into the oven, the thicker the cake, the faster it will cook. So, if you want to enjoy your meal straight away, then go for the thinner option.
As for the desired tenderness, I would recommend allowing the cakes to rest for five minutes following completion of the cooking process. This resting time will let the proteins in the fish gain more from the heat, resulting in a more tender product.
The Results
After completing the above experiments, I can confirm that the above methods work well for most types of fish, with only two exceptions. One is for sole fillets, which seem to be more suited to quick cooking methods, while the other is for John Dory, whose firm texture makes longer cooking a necessity.
With this being said, now that I know the best way to cook my fish, I always set the oven to 72 degrees when baking. This results in the best of both worlds – a golden brown exterior coupled with moist, tender flesh inside. As this is my go-to method, I find it simpler to just use my oven than to constantly monitor the progress of my fish cakes with a digital timer.
As for storing the cooked fish cakes, this is another area where most varieties differ. Generally speaking, the thinner the cake, the longer it will keep. So, if you’re planning on storing any of the above fish cakes for later use, then opt for the thinner option so as to preserve as much of its nutrients as possible.
In conclusion, not all fish are created equal, and it’s important to understand the nature of the beast before preparing it for consumption. To this end, the above methods should provide you with the necessary information to cook your fish efficiently and tenderly. As you’ll see in the graph below, these methods work for the most part, with a couple of exceptions.