• Position an oven rack to the lower third position.  Preheat the oven to 375°F, or on convection roast setting to 350°F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (optional but eases release of the fish cakes from the pan and clean-up).

Poach the cod fish

• Place cod fish fillets, lime slice, bay leaves and black peppercorns into a 2-quart saucepan. Add water to just barely cover. Bring the water to a low simmer over medium heat, then continue cooking for about 6 – 7 minutes.  Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the fish.  Check as needed to ensure the fish just looses its transparency.  Remove thinner pieces if needed.  Resist over cooking.  Drain and set aside to cool.  If you fear you’ve overcooked the fish, cool it quickly in a bath of cold water.

Combining the ingredients

• Combine the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, olive oil, lime juice, curry powder, sea salt and black pepper in a small bowl.  Set aside.
• In a large bowl, gently mix the celery, shallot, tomatoes, cilantro, and cracker crumbs together. Flake the cod fish fillets into the bowl, taking care to leave some of the pieces at least about one-half inches in diameter. Gently mix the fish with the vegetable-crackers, then finally gently fold in the wet ingredients.  Take care to preserve some large flakes offish.
• Divide the fish cake mixture into four portions and shape into patties about 1-inch thick.  Place on the baking sheet.  Bake for about 18 minutes, until lightly browned and the egg has an opportunity to cook fully.  You can use an instant-read thermometer and the middle of a fish cake should reach at least 160°F, signaling the egg is cooked.
• For weeknights I serve as-is, but I’ve also made a quick salsa of the same vegetables used in the fish cakes, with some minced jalapeño pepper or added cayenne pepper for a bit of zippy heat.