A fishcake to console and another to excite

2. Meanwhile, put the fish into a baking dish, almost cover with milk – you can add a bay leaf or two if you like – then bake until the fish is opaque and will come easily from the bone or skin when you pull it. You can expect this to take about 10 to 15 minutes, bearing in mind that different types of fish take slightly different times to cook.

3. Drain the potatoes, putting them back into the empty pan over a moderate heat for a few minutes if they seem wet, then mash them with a potato masher.

4. Lift the fish from the milk, reserving the liquid, then pull the flakes away from the bones and skin. Tip the fish into the mashed potato, add salt and grind over some black pepper (if you wish to add any of the additional seasonings below, do so now), and mix briefly and gently, so as not to crush the flakes of fish too much.

5. Shape the mixture into patties, as large or as small as you like – I favour ones the size of a digestive biscuit and the thickness of an English muffin – coating each one lightly in flour as you go. I think you should avoid the temptation to err towards perfection. Wobbly cooking has a certain charm about it.

6. Melt a little butter and oil in a frying pan – you need enough to coat the bottom of the pan – and fry your cakes till they are softly golden. This should take no more than a couple of minutes on each side. Keep them hot in a low oven.

7. Wipe the pan out with kitchen paper, add the glass of wine and let it bubble down over a high heat until there are just a few tablespoons left. Strip the tarragon leaves from their stems and drop them into the wine as it bubbles. Pour in the cream and a glassful of the fish milk and bring to the boil, turning it down to a fierce simmer so that it thickens somewhat. Season with salt and pepperm then pour it over the fishcakes.

And more

• Some good things to add to you fishcakes. Chopped, vivid green parsley leaves; 5 or 6 mashed anchovies; a few shakes of anchovy sauce; chopped tarragon leaves; chopped dill; chopped leaks cooked in butter till soft.

• A chilli-hot, citrus-scented fishcake. Forget the potatoes. Skin the fish (500g will be enough for 4 people). Blitz 2 spring onions, 2 cloves of garlic, a couple of small, seeded red chillies and 6 lime leaves together with a handful of coriander leaves in a food processor to make a thick sludge. Mix in a tablespoon of nam pla (Thai fish sauce) and tip it into a bowl. Whiz the fish to a coarse paste, then mix it with the seasonings and shape into small cakes. Some flour on your hands will be useful here. Fry till golden brown.

• Tinned-fish fishcakes. Lovely. Canned salmon and sardines make deeply flavoured fishcakes. You'll need the same quantity as fresh fish, and you'll have to drain them of their oil or water. Smoked trout or salmon can be added directly to the potato.