These are a treat. Tuna Cakes with whipped creamy feta and crunchy beetroot.
Tuna was a staple of my diet when I was a child, and I don’t mean lovely tuna fillets, I mean canned Tuna….With four girls in the family and my parents both working, cooking was on a roster system. There was a great new product on the market called Risa Riso and my sister embraced this with gusto . Essentially it was a pack of rice shaped pasta with a flavour sachet. Her version included Tuna, peas, onions , carrots , red peppers and of course cheese. It was her speciality and I always think of it when I open a large can of Tuna.
This recipe is inspired by and based on one by Karen Martini from Where the heart is. I love the recipes in this book. They are full of perfectly matched flavours, using lots of vegetables . I wanted a more chunky style ‘cake’ rather than fritters she gives the recipe for, and I wanted to incorporate preserved lemon and dukka. The result is very nice, give it a try.
Tuna Cakes, Preserved Lemon and Whipped Feta
Ingredients
- 250 gm cooked mashed potato cooled 8.81 oz
- 2 x 1/4s preserved lemons cleaned
- 2 small eggs
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 250 gm tuna drained (tunaoil) -
- 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1/2 small finely diced Spanish onion
- 4 Tablespoon course breadcrumbs or Panko Crumbs
- Crumbs to coat
- 1/4 cup of Dukkah
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 100 gm breadcrumbs 2 cups I used Japanese Panko crumbs
- 250 ml milk beaten with
- 1 Egg
- 150 gm flour for dusting 1 cup
Whipped Feta topping
- 100 gm creamy Danish feta
- 100 gm ricotta
- 80 ml cream or buttermilk 4 Tablespoons
Instructions
You need 1 bowl and a food processor.
- Put 1/2 the potato in to a bowl with 1/2 of the drained Tuna (leave the Tuna in lightly broken up chunks , for texture). Add the parsley, paprika and crumbs.
- In the bowl of the food processor add the preserved lemon, egg and remaining tuna and potato and puree. Combine both of the Tuna mixtures and mix well. Add a couple of extra crumbs a tablespoon at a time if the mix is a bit sticky. Don't overdo it.
- Shape into patties and chill for an hour or pop into the freezer for 15 minutes,before crumbing
- Mix the dukkah, cumin and crumbs . Flour, egg wash and crumb the cakes and chill to set.
- before cooking. Meantime
Feta whip
- Combine the Feta and Ricotta with the cream in a food processor and whizz until fluffy and combined. This is addictive and perfectly matched to these Tuna cakes.
Beetroot salad
- This beetroot salad made of raw beetroot was a big hit. I have several converts who now make this every week. Use nice fresh firm beetroots they're sweeter
- Grate the beetroot, and add the mint. In a separate bowl mix the sugar with the hot water to dissolve then add the molasses, oil , salt and till combined. Mix into the beetroot and let stand for several minutes. The combination of the salt and sugar encourage the beetroot to bleed making a very nice dressing.... that is not to be dribbled on clothing!
- Deep or shallow fry the cakes till golden. Serve with the beetroot and whipped feta.
Alana
Dukkah, preserved lemon, feta, tuna… you are speaking my language!! I can’t remember the last time I saw so many of my favourite things in one dish before. Definitely a must try!
My Kitchen Stories
Hello Alana Glad we have conversed so well
Asmita
That sounds and looks amazing!
Hotly Spiced
I remember Risa Riso. What a blast from the past! I don’t think we ever had it but we did have things like Instant Pudding. I love preserved lemons and I ‘m sure they would work well with tuna – wonderful flavours in this dish xx
Yasmeen @ Wandering Spice
This is just brilliant. Love tuna, love preserved lemons, and have never used them together. The whipped feta must all tie it together beautifully. Thanks for the inspiration!
My Kitchen Stories
hi Yasmeen glad you like !
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
Very elegant dish Tania and you would never really think that an every day item like tuna was involved! 🙂
My Kitchen Stories
Thank you lovely of you to say that!
Karen (Back Road Journal)
I make whipped ricotta and will try adding feta to it next. You have had two great fish dishes that both use dukkah…wish I could find it where I live but I think it is a lost cause.
Amanda
Oh wow! I just love tuna cakes with mashed potato in them, but this just takes them to a whole new level. Brilliant! I can’t wait to try this.
celia
Risa Riso! We are OLD people, Tania, because I can still remember eating that growing up as well! 🙂 Great recipe, thank you, whipped feta sounds interesting…
Michelle Toledo
I’ve never cooked any tuna recipe aside from the usual way of cooking it. This doesn’t look like tuna but it certainly looks yummy. Thanks for the recipe^^
Chompchomp
Whipped feta sounds very decadent. Great idea. I love fish cakes in all forms.
Peter G | Souvlaki For The Soul
Beautiful recipe! I love the whipped feta and the use of preserved lemon! Tuna cakes never looked so good!
My Kitchen Stories
Thanks Peter, Im addicted to that Feta
3outa4
My two favourite things – beetroot and tuna – this recipe looks simple and very tasty, thanks!
My Kitchen Stories
My favourite person 3 outa 4!
Miss T
Sometimes, I wanna rub myself in Danish Feta. Creepy? yes, thats why I don’t do it but I sure do eat it. Love every speck of this dish
T x
My Kitchen Stories
Cute not creepy, I am sure if you make this whipped feta it will be easier to rub it on yourself!
Flavors of the Sun
I actually audibly sighed “ooooohhhhhh” when I read the name of this recipe, then I scrolled down the list of ingredients and spied dukkah and pomegranate molasses and almost gasped in ecstasy. What a fabulous, fabulous recipe. I have earmarked it with multiple stars!
My Kitchen Stories
Oh you are a honey Victoria….. hope you like it
Barbara
I love tuna cakes and often made them when the boys lived at home. I like how you have served the with the beetroot.
My Kitchen Stories
You can have these when they come to visit then
yummychunklet
I like the sound of these fish cakes. Yum!
Angie@Angie's Recipes
wow These tuna cakes look so yummy! I love the whipped feta and beet salad too.
Joanne
You’re really rocking out with the preserved lemon recently! These tuna cakes sound delicious!
My Kitchen Stories
It is my mission to give you as many recipes to use that jar of preserved lemons as I can!
Anna @The Littlest Anchovy
I love this idea! I am a bit over the usual tuna pasta that I make with canned tuna.. The flavours you have here are so vibrant!
cityhippyfarmgirl
whipped fetta eh?…now that I could definitely do.