Fish Cakes With Dipping Sauce

Makes about 8 (2 1/4-in.) cakes.

Note: From "100 Days of Real Food," by Lisa Leake.

• 1 lb. white fish, such as cod or flounder

• Flour

• Salt and pepper

• 2 tbsp. butter

• 1/2 c. plus 2 tbsp. sour cream, divided

• 4 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided

• 1 tsp. yellow mustard, divided

• 1 c. store-bought or homemade whole-wheat breadcrumbs, divided

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• 1 tbsp. minced fresh onion

• 2 tbsp. sour cream

• 2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 1/2 tsp. yellow mustard

• Dash of cayenne pepper

• Olive oil for cooking

Directions

To prepare fish: Sprinkle flour onto a plate. Season fish with salt and pepper, and then dip in the flour to coat on all sides. Transfer to a clean plate. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt about 2 tablespoons butter. Add coated fish to pan and cook for several minutes until the fish is golden brown on the underside. Flip and cook until it is golden brown on the other side and the center is white, flaky and cooked all the way through. Cool and shred to use in fish cakes.

To make the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 teaspoons lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon mustard. Cover and refrigerate.

To make the fish cakes: Spread 1/2 cup breadcrumbs on a plate and set out another empty plate.

In a medium bowl, thoroughly combine fish, eggs, onion, 2 tablespoons sour cream, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, cayenne pepper and the remaining 1/2 cup breadcrumbs.

To form the cakes, grab a golf-ball-size handful of the fish mixture and squeeze it together with your hands just enough for it to come together (discard any excess liquid). Slightly flatten the ball, coat the outside with a light layer of the breadcrumbs on the plate and then place the fish cake on the empty plate. Repeat with the rest of the fish mixture.

Set a large sauté pan over medium-low heat and add a thin layer of olive oil to cover the bottom. When the oil is hot, cook the fish cakes (in batches if necessary) until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Serve warm with dipping sauce.