Perfect fishcakes - ideal for a breakfast, light lunch or a starter.

Use floury potatoes such as Desirée.

Use a fillet of any white fish, such as pollack, gurnard, cod or haddock.

The fishcakes can be made a day in advance and kept in the fridge, only then requiring about 10 minutes frying.

1. Cook the potatoes in boiling satled water for 20 mins or until tender. Drain well, tip back into the pan and mash until smooth. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, put the fish, milk, lemon zest, bay leaf and some black pepper into a pan. Cover, bring to the boil and simmer for 4 mins or until the fish has just cooked through. Remove and discard the bay leaf and lemon zest, lift the fish onto a plate and reserve the poaching milk. Remove and discard and skin and bones to the fish and leave to cool slightly.
3. Melt 15 g of the butter in a medium-sized saucepan, add the olive oil and onion and cook gently for 6-7 mins, until soft and translucent but not brown. Add the mashed potatoes and allow them to warm through slightly.
4. Remove from the hob, add the fish, parsley, lemon juice and 2 tbsps of the poaching milk and mix together well. The mixture should be neither dry nor so wet that it is difficult to handle. Leave to cool.
5. Meanwhile, season the flour with some salt and pepper and sprinkle it onto the work surface. Put the egg into a shallow bowl and the breadcrumbs into another. With slightly wet hands, form the mixture in the flour into 8 small fishcakes, about 1 cm thick. Dip them in the beaten egg and then the breadcrumbs, put onto a baking tray and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour (preferably overnight).
6. Melt the remaining butter and a tsp of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add the fishcakes and fry them gently for about 5 mins on each side until golden.
7. Serve with some soured cream and chives on the side.