This is an all time favourite, it’s the one everyone asks for again and again, as Jay Rayners so rightly said, 

“That’s a Fishcake that’s not afraid of being a Fishcake”.

Ingredients for 10 large or 20 small Crayfish Cakes

 
        For The Filling

• 30 to 40 coarsely whizzed cooked peeled Signal Crayfish

• 120g of coarsely whizzed Smoked salmon Trimmings

• 120ml double cream

• 120ml Fish stock (fish stock cubes will be fine)

• Cream Crackers, finely whizzed

• 1 free-range egg

• 2 tsp Anchovy paste or puree

• ½ Lime Juice

• Crayfish Oil (if you have some)

   

  For the Breadcrumb coating
  

• 4 slices of white bread, medium whizzed (Crusts on)

• 4 slices of brown bread, medium whizzed (Crusts on)

• 1 tbsp Black onion seeds (Nigella Seeds)

• Seasoned plain flour

• 2 to 3 beaten eggs

• Pinch of Sea salt and fresh ground Black Pepper

   

   

  Preparation method 

   

  Breadcrumb coating

  Coarsely blend both the white and Brown bread including the crusts. What you are looking for is a diverse and changeable crumb, big bits, small bits, white bits, brown bits you get the idea, rustic if you like. Mix in the Black Onion seeds, Sea salt and pepper then spread evenly into a baking tray, bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 190c. Turn the crumbs a couple of times during the cooking to ensure even cooking.

   

  Crayfish filling,

  Place all of the Crayfish tails into a food processor and blend to a coarse finish

  Repeat step one with the Smoked Salmon Trimmings and place both in a large mixing bowl.

  Add the Cream, Fish stock, Anchovy paste, beaten egg, Lime juice and Crayfish oil if you have it.

  The mix will be very wet and has no chance of forming a Crayfish Cake at this point. At this stage start adding the Cream Cracker crumbs a bit at a time.  Whizz and add a couple of crackers at a time is the best way to proceed as it’s not an exact science.

  Gently combine the Cracker Crumbs each time you add them into the mix. When you have added enough of the Crumbs the texture will be like a biscuit mix and able to hold a shape.

  Now the fun bit, making the Cakes. Sprinkle some plain flour onto a surface to stop the Cakes sticking, then using a pastry ring, (2 ½” is good size) push the mix into the ring. This gives it a good shape and ensures an even thickness over the whole Cake.

  Gently push the Cake free of the ring and lightly coat in seasoned flour, brush with beaten egg and then into the baked breadcrumbs, turning and rolling to make sure you get a really good covering as that’s the bit that give you that “CRUNCH”.

  Have these just as “You Like”, with Chips and Ketchup, with salad and Shell Mayo or even simply in a Bun, toasted of course.

   

• To finish these Crayfish Cakes with a touch of class make the 'Signal Crayfish Shell Mayo' See Recipes