Toothfish Cheek and Chickpea Croquettes

Ingredients
250g toothfish cheeks, cut into regular sizes
½ red onion, very finely diced
1 small clove garlic, crushed
A handful of fresh mint, finely chopped; or 1 tsp dried mint
2 teaspoon capers
2 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon lemongrass
120g black chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoon plain flour
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg (beaten)
Breadcrumbs to coat
A drizzle of olive oil
Toothfish Cheek and Chickpea Croquettes
Method
  1. If oven baking the croquettes, preheat the oven to gas mark 5 or 200C.
  2. Heat a large frying pan over a medium-heat. Add a splash of olive oil, followed by the toothfish, onion and garlic. Cook for 5-8 minutes, until the onions have wilted and fish is white and flaky.
  3. Mix in the lemon grass and mint, and combine for 2 minutes before removing from the heat. At this stage, check the mixture for any bones.
  4. In a large mixing bowl combine the chickpeas, lemon juice, capers and flour. Mash the mixture with a fork, until the chickpeas are pulled apart. Add the cooked fish and mix until all combined.
  5. Season to taste with salt and pepper, adding in any extra mint, lemon or lemongrass at this point.
  6. Divide the mixture and shape into balls or oblongs, coat in the egg, then the breadcrumbs and place on a baking tray.
  7. If baking, lightly drizzle in olive oil before baking for 20 minutes until golden brown and crisp, turning them half way.
  8. To shallow fry heat 1cm of oil in a heavy bottomed frying pan. Fry lightly, turning regularly for 8-10 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
  9. 9. Serve as a snack with dips or as part of a larger meal.
Tips

There are an endless ways to customise this recipe to suit your day. Mould the mixture into a classic croquette cylinder, smaller balls for canapés or create some larger patties for a fish burger. Serve as a snack, starter or main dish with a chilli sauce, tartare or a smoky mayo. When it comes to cooking these golden nuggets, you can either oven bake or shallow fry them.

Nutritional Information

Toothfish has a high unsaturated fat content, releasing rich Omega-3 fatty acids when cooked.  Omega-3 fatty acids contribute to brain and visual development in children, and contributes to the maintenance of normal cardiac function in adults. Toothfish is a good source of protein, which contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass and bone health. Chickpeas are a good source of dietary fibre and plant-based protein.