Fiskedeller are one of my favorite foods both for comfort and ease of preparation. The aquatic cousin of the pork and veal pattie frikadellar, they are essentially a Danish fish cake. Growing up, I remember my mother would make them with salmon and serve them with maple syrup, and as an adult I have had them made with oats and cod. As a grab and go snack (dipped in homemade remoulade or tartar sauce), a smørrebrød topping (with slaw or cucumbers), or as an entree with an accompanying fish or mushroom gravy, they are a mode of protein consumption that carries budget shopping to nice dinner without too much effort.
Traditionally they include either oats, flour, or mashed potatoes as a binder- however I generally try to keep them as low-carb and high protein as possible. I weighed these out at 36g a raw patty, making 5 patties at about 58 calories a piece. With potato starch as a binder they contain about 4 grams of net carbs each, but if you substitute psyllium husk, which does affect the flavor a touch- don’t say you weren’t warned- it cuts down to a measly 1.3 grams of net carbohydrates.
The following recipe is intended to be as cheap and quick as possible, making for a protein option that can be made ahead and thrown into lunch boxes, eaten as the entree to a money saving meal, or just enjoyed for its own sake. Each 36 gram pattie offers 5.2 grams of protein
Basic Fiskedeller
Ingredients
1 can of tuna (or salmon) packed in water, not oil
1 egg
1/4 medium yellow onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon dried tarragon or dried dill
1 teaspoon white pepper
1.5 tablespoons potato starch, or 3/4 tablespoon ground psyllium husk or 2 tablespoons rolled oats
1 tablespoon pork/bacon fat or 1 tablespoon butter, for frying
Method
Finely chop and mince onion.
Drain your can of fish, and in a bowl, combine all ingredients into a mush. Let them sit, and allow for whatever binding agent you chose to fully absorb liqid and expand.
Over medium heat, melt your frying fat and weigh out little 36g patties. Flatten them to be about 2 inches across and 1/4 inch thich and place them in the hot pan.
Cover, and let them cook for around 5 min, being careful not to let them burn. Flip them over and cover again, allowing them to cook all the way through . They go pretty fast. If you break one open, it should be moist but obviously cooked on the inside.
Enjoy hot or cold!
