“This recipe really reminds me of my late mother, and I’m proud that introducing it into our city’s socially-conscious ‘BlinOK’ café has acquired us many grateful customers.”

— Zina Sergeeva
Hesed social welfare center director in Rybnitsa, Moldova

Ingredients

  • About 1 lb minced hake or other white fish (400 grams)
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 slices of white bread
  • 1/3 cup low-fat cream
  • 1 ¼ cup chopped onions
  • 1 carrot, sliced into rounds
  • 1 tbsp. butter
  • 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • Salt, to taste
  • Pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Remove the skin and bones from the fish and pass it through a meat grinder.
  2. Cut the crusts off the bread, and soak them in the cream.
  3. Wash and finely chop the onions. Then fry them in the butter over low heat until they are soft and transparent.
  4. Add the bread mixture to the minced fish, along with ¼ cup of the onions and eggs, as well as salt and pepper. Mix everything together well. Refrigerate the mixture for 20–30 minutes.
  5. Form small patties from the fish mixture. Though it’s possible to cover them in breadcrumbs, it’s best to get a natural crust by searing them quickly in a hot pan. Don’t make them too large, since they’re tender and need to be flipped. Large fish cakes fall apart more easily.
  6. Fry the fish cakes in the oil, about two minutes on each side, until golden brown. Then cover the pan and cook them on low heat for about five minutes.
  7. Fry the rest of the chopped onions in a stockpot until soft and translucent, then add the sliced carrots and fish cakes. Fill pot with boiled water and add salt. Simmer over very low heat for about an hour.
  8. Serve with mashed potatoes or a side salad, and enjoy your meal!