Beer Battered Cod Cakes

Servings: 4 (Makes 16 - 20, 2-inch Cod cakes)

Author: Kirsten and Mandy Dixon from their Living Within the Wild Cookbook

Ingredients

• 1 lb Popsie's Pacific Cod, skinned
• 2 tbsps unsalted butter
• ½ medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 cup IPA-style beer
• 2 egg whites, whipped to soft peaks
• Sea salt, to taste
• ¼ pound shrimp, peeled and chopped
• ½ bunch parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 quart vegetable oil for frying

Directions

1. Rinse the Pacific Cod under cool water and pat dry using paper toweling. Add the chicken stock into a 4-quart saucepan. Bring the stock to a simmer over medium heat. Add in the fish and poach for about ten minutes. Using a fish spatula, remove the fish from the stock, and set onto paper toweling to cool. Discard the stock.
2. Rinse the saucepan and return it to the stove over medium-high heat. Add in the butter, onions, and garlic. Sauté until the onion turns translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Place the onion mixture into a bowl and cool.
3. Place the Cod, shrimp, onion mixture, and the parsley into a food processor. Pulse the mixture several times until the fish and vegetables are combined. Remove the chopped fish paste and place into a bowl. Chill the fish paste in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm up.
4. Remove the fish paste from the fridge and using wet hands (use cold water), form the fish paste into 2 ounce balls (about 2 inches).
5. Heat a heavy 4-quart stockpot with the vegetable oil to 350°F.
6. Mix together one cup of the flour, curry powder, and the beer. Fold in the egg whites. Place the remaining flour onto a clean work surface or a plate. 
7. Slightly flatten each two-ounce ball and dredge in the flour, then dip into the beer batter. Drop the fish cakes one at a time into the fryer. Fry the Cod cakes until the puff and turn light golden brown. Remove the cakes and place them onto paper toweling. 
8. Serve with your choice of sauce.