Spring fishcakes

This recipe came to me almost immediately when I was jotting down ideas for dishes for this chapter. Convinced that I had enjoyed these fishcakes when I still lived in Russia, I asked my mum and gran for our family recipe. Turns out they had never heard of the dish. Yet I could easily recall the wonderfully juicy, tender and crunchy texture of the fishcakes. Having no idea where I got the memory of that taste from, I have searched the Russian internet for clues. My research hasn’t returned any satisfying results, instead releasing myriad different fishcake recipes, some called ‘Monastery Fishcakes’, while others bear the more appropriate name of ‘Tenderness’. Taking the best from all versions, I’ve conjured up my own recipe, which, when tested, has succeeded in bringing back that wonderful taste that I mysteriously remember so well. This wonderfully refreshing, juicy and crunchy dish would work really well as part of an alfresco feast and can be enjoyed alongside a simple cucumber and radish salad.

A recipe from Salt & Time: Recipes from a Russian Kitchen by Alissa Timoshkina (Mitchell Beazley). Buy the book here.