Ingredients

  • 3 large starchy potatoes, peeled and cut cubed
  • Salt
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 1/4 pounds fresh cod fish
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil, eyeball it
  • 2 teaspoons seafood seasoning blend, (recommended: Old Bay) 2/3 palm full
  • 2 ribs celery and their greens, finely chopped
  • 1 small yellow skinned onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, a few sprigs
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, a handful
  • Black pepper
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups plain bread crumbs
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup cream or half-and-half
  • 1 pound triple washed spinach leaves, stemmed and chopped

Method

  • Place potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water.
  • Put a lid on the pot and bring the water up to a boil.
  • Salt water and cook potatoes until tender, 15 minutes.
  • Bring 1/2-inch water to a simmer in a large nonstick skillet.
  • Zest a lemon and reserve.
  • Cut lemon and season the fish the some lemon juice and salt and add to the simmering water.
  • Cover pan and cook fish 8 minutes.
  • Remove and flake fish into a bowl.
  • Discard water and wipe out pan, returning it to heat over medium flame and add 1/4 cup vegetable oil.
  • To the fish, add reserved lemon zest, seafood seasoning, celery, onion, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper to fish.
  • Add egg and 1 cup of the bread crumbs.
  • Form 8 fish patties and toss in remaining bread crumbs to set the patties.
  • Add 1/4 cup vegetable oil to the cleaned out pan and heat over medium flame.
  • Cook patties in the oil for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until golden and reserve under foil or in warm oven.
  • Return skillet to heat again over medium flame and melt in 2 tablespoons of butter then add the red bell peppers and shallots and cook 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add in flour and cook a minute more.
  • Whisk in broth, thicken, and season with salt and pepper to make savory red pepper gravy.
  • Drain cooked potatoes and return to hot pot.
  • Add in remaining butter, garlic and 1/4 cup cream or half & half.
  • Mash and season the potatoes with salt and pepper.
  • Fold in spinach leaves until they all wilt into potatoes.
  • To serve, pile spinach mashers on plates and top with patties and gravy.