Really Good Fish Cakes

Step 1: Bake the potatoes in a 220°C / 430°F (200°C fan) oven for 75 minutes, or until a knife pierces them with no resistance. Cut them in half and scoop the flesh into a large bowl.

Step 2: Turn the oven down to 200°C / 390°F (180°C fan) to finish the fish cakes later.

Step 3: Set a rack over a tray. Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper.

Step 4: Melt the butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the fish and cook, turning, for 4 minutes in total. It should be just cooked through and flake easily, but not be golden.

Step 5: Transfer the fish to the rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining fish.

Step 6: In the same skillet, add the garlic, chilli, thyme and green onion to the leftover butter. Cook for 1 minute, until the garlic is golden. Pour the mixture over the potato, scraping in all the butter.

Step 7: Add the parsley and salt. Use a wooden spoon to roughly mash the potato; leave some chunks rather than mashing it smooth.

Step 8: Add the fish and gently stir it through, breaking it up a little so flakes are distributed through the potato. Keep some fish chunks intact.

Step 9: Scoop out 1/4 cup of mixture and pack it firmly. Turn it out onto your hand and shape it firmly into a cake about 1.75 cm / 2/3 inch thick. Press firmly so the potato holds it together. The mixture should make 13 to 15 cakes.

Step 10: Coat each cake in flour, shaking off the excess. Dip it in egg and let the excess drip off, then coat it in breadcrumbs, pressing them on to adhere.

Step 11: Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the fish cakes in batches for 1 1/2 minutes on each side, until golden, then transfer them to a paper towel-lined tray. For golden sides as well, stand the cakes on their edges and roll them slowly in the oil.

Step 12: Remove the paper towel from under the fish cakes. Bake for 10 minutes to heat them through and warm the first batch again.

Step 13: Serve with lemon wedges, tartare sauce, plain mayonnaise, sour cream, ketchup or tomato sauce.