Pollack, Basil and Roasted Garlic Fishcakes

These fishcakes have a great combination of flavours that work really well together.  I normally make them in golf-ball size balls for children and adults alike but I have also made them in smaller canape size balls for drinks parties and served them with home made lemony mayonnaise for dipping...so good!
I always use frozen pollack for these as it is cheap and very convenient to have in the freezer.

Serves 4 (or more if canape size)

Ingredients

250g or 3 medium-sized Potatoes

Around 200g or 2-3 Pollack Fillets
Olive Oil

A head of Garlic

A tablespoon of soft butter

Freshly squeezed Lemon Juice

1 tablespoon Mayonnaise
Approx. 10 large Basil Leaves, finely shredded
Salt and Pepper
Plain Flour

1 Egg, beaten with a splash of milk

Fresh Breadcrumbs

• Preheat the oven to 175C (fan).  Rub the pollack fillets with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.
• To roast the garlic, just put the whole bulb onto a baking tray and into the preheated oven for about 30 minutes until it feels soft when squeezed.  While the garlic is roasting put the fish fillets in the oven to roast for about 10 minutes or until just cooked.  Take out of the oven and set aside.
• Peel the potatoes and cut into cubes, boil until tender and drain.  Return to the pan, add the butter and mash.
• Now you need to add the flavour to the potato, starting with the garlic.  Take a small bowl and squeeze the cloves of garlic in, it will be soft and creamy.  I use about a half to three quarters of a bulb, it seems a lot but the potency of the garlic is greatly reduced by the roasting and it is wonderfully mellow.  Mash the garlic in the small bowl with a fork and add the the mashed potato with salt and pepper.
• Add the mayonnaise, the basil and a good squeeze of lemon juice to the potato then give it a good mix.  Finally flake in the fish (it's best to do this by hand so you can feel for any bones) and gently mix to combine.  Taste to check the seasoning and add more lemon juice, salt or pepper if you need to.  Set this mixture aside to cool, it is actually easier to form into balls when it is cold.
• When you are ready to make the fishcakes, get three bowls.  Tip some plain flour into one, some breadcrumbs into another and beat the egg with a splash of milk in the third.
• Take your fishcake mixture and form it into golf-ball sized balls.  Then, one at a time, dip each one into the flour (making sure it only gets a thin layer), then the egg, then the breadcrumbs.  Put them onto an oiled baking tray as they are done and, when ready to cook, brush or spray them with oil (to help them crisp up and brown) and put them in the oven (still at 175C) for 25 minutes until golden brown and crisp.