Salt Cod Fritters (Bacalaitos)
- 1 pound boneless salt cod, soaked overnight, drained and poached 15 minutes
- 1 onion, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper or more, or cayenne to taste
- 1 cup flour
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley or cilantro
- Corn, grape seed, canola or other neutral oil for deep-frying
- Lime wedges
- Chop salt cod with a knife, and then shred it with your fingers.
- Combine it with the onion, garlic and pepper in a bowl, and mix well with a wooden spoon.
- Add flour, and stir a few times; then beat in eggs one at a time.
- Add about 1/2 cup water, and stir; continue to add water (about 1/4 cup more), until a batter forms -- it should be a bit thicker than pancake batter -- and then stir in the herb.
- Letting mixture rest, put about 3 inches of oil in a deep saucepan, and turn heat to medium-high; bring to 350 degrees.
- (A drop of batter will sizzle energetically when oil reaches that temperature.)
- Gently drop tablespoonfuls of cod mixture into oil, and fry, turning once, until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
- Work in batches, taking care not to crowd fritters.
- Drain on paper towels, and serve with lime wedges, or keep in a warm oven until ready to serve.
salt, onion, garlic, black pepper, flour, eggs, fresh chopped parsley, wedges
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/6597 (may not work)