Marks & Spencer Melting Middle Lochmuir Scottish Salmon Fish Cakes

My mum presented me with a box of these for Easter as she thought I'd appreciate them more than the more conventional box of chocolates.

I had already seen them advertised on TV as well as in store, but didn't buy them as I felt they were rather expensive for what they were and also the use by dates were not very good as I'm sure when I first spotted them, the information on the box stated they were not suitable for freezing.
...
...now the information clearly gives instructions for freezing (freeze on day of purchase and use within one month and no need to defrost before cooking)

Inside the red cardboard box is where the two melting middle Lochmuir Scottish salmon fishcakes sit in a plastic tray and a long greaseproof strip of paper sits underneath the cakes, allowing you to remove them with ease and place on a pre heated baking tray, This strip of paper is a ... more

My mum presented me with a box of these for Easter as she thought I'd appreciate them more than the more conventional box of chocolates.

I had already seen them advertised on TV as well as in store, but didn't buy them as I felt they were rather expensive for what they were and also the use by dates were not very good as I'm sure when I first spotted them, the information on the box stated they were not suitable for freezing.
Things appear to have changed in that department though, as now the information clearly gives instructions for freezing (freeze on day of purchase and use within one month and no need to defrost before cooking)

Inside the red cardboard box is where the two melting middle Lochmuir Scottish salmon fishcakes sit in a plastic tray and a long greaseproof strip of paper sits underneath the cakes, allowing you to remove them with ease and place on a pre heated baking tray, This strip of paper is a nice touch and does make things easier but I found the fish cakes to be quite firm to the touch and doubt they would have broken, should they just be removed by hand if ignoring the paper strip.

Each fish cake measures around 4 inches in diameter and are approximately 1 inch thick, which are in my opinion of a decent size. Light brown in colour and by no means identical in shape, they had a kind of rustic appearance.

Cooking takes 25- 30 minutes at gas mark 7 or 45 minutes at gas mark 6 if cooking from frozen, then out of the oven comes two golden brown fishy delights, though these are not your average salmon fishcakes, for inside is hiding a creamy watercress sauce just waiting to be released.

We had these as a starter served with a simple green salad garnished with sprigs of fresh peppery watercress.

They did smell rather fishy once cooked although on tasting we were both pleasantly surprised that the taste was not a dominant fishy one. Made using Scottish Lochmuir salmon which is mixed with fresh mashed potato, lemon juice and dill before being wrapped around a thick creamy watercress sauce, then coated in breadcrumbs.

I was a little disappointed the sauce didn't come gushing out when the cakes were broken with a fork, like it looks on the box and indeed in the TV advert; instead it just trickled out slowly onto the salad leaves beneath.

The salmon, pink in colour did however look very attractive against the white creamy mashed potato which, coupled with the green and white thick sauce, provided a colour scheme any interior designer would be proud of.

The cakes are moist and perfectly seasoned, the ratio of salmon to potato is an excellent balance (32% salmon, 31% potato) whilst the addition of lemon juice adds a subtle sharpness and a touch of moisture to the delicately flavoured salmon and creamy smooth mashed potato The crispy breadcrumb coating complemented its soft and fluffy inner to perfection.

The box along with the usual cooking instructions and ingredients state this product is designed to serve 2 people. We did debate this somewhat and came to the conclusion that should these be served as a main meal for those with large appetites, then 2 would be required per person even if eaten with a large salad etc. We did however agree that these would make the ultimate fish cake buttie when sandwiched between a fresh crusty bread roll.

At £3.99 for two of these fish cakes each weighing 145g I feel is still expensive in my mind, but I was pleasantly surprised just how tasty they were, there are also 2 others in this range to choose from which are cod with parsley sauce and Haddock with a cheese & chive sauce, both of which sound tempting too.

I was suitably impressed with these and will be buying them myself when I feel we deserve a treat.

Free from artificial colours, flavourings and preservatives, these really are a wonderful change from your average run of the mill salmon fishcake. They certainly beat my homemade ones hands down due to the wonderful melting middle. I am tempted at trying to insert a creamy sauce in the middle of the next ones I make just to see if I can achieve a similar result; my husband awaits this, along with me, with trepidation!

For those with intolerances and allergies, these do contain cow's milk, wheat and gluten and for those watching their weight, each fishcake contains 275 calories (1.5g sugar. 15.2g fat 4.5g saturated fat and 1.28g salt)

These are certainly worth trying if you are a fan of salmon fishcakes. 

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