This is a hybrid recipe — I adapted it from two recipes I was working with, plus the original Portuguese recipe. These are usually served at a bar with a cold beer, so you could call them the adult version of fish sticks. Traditionally, they’re served with wedges of lime, though I like to add a tartar sauce on the side too.
(Experiment 28) Bolinho de bacalhau
Ingredients
- ~450g cod* If you use salt cod, you need to unsalt it in water for 1-2 days
- ~450g peeled and cut potatoes Yukon gold is a great choice, russet is good and avoid red
- Optional hot peppers
- 1-2 tbsp parsley
- 2 tbsp minced onion
- salt & pepper
- flour
- frying oil
- 2 eggs yolks
Instructions
- Use a pot and bring water to a boil, then put the fish in and let boil for 5 minutes. Remove the fish and let cool. Put on paper toilets to capture the excess water, I even put an additional one on it and press. You want to get all that water out. Then simply tear it into pieces.
- Now you either re-use the water to cook your potatoes or use fresh water your choice. Cook them for 12-15 minutes. Drain and mash.
- Add your fish to the potatoes and mix it well. Add the parsley and adjust seasoning with salt/pepper as needed. Add the egg yolks and the onion and stir.
- It’s now time to form balls, you can either use your hand or use 2 spoons. With one spoon take some of the mixture, use the other spoon to spoon it off the first spoon. Do this a few times and you will have a nice oval-shaped ball.
- Heat oil in a pot at 350F. Drop 5-7 balls at a time no more else the temperature will fall too low. You need to fry those for about 5 minutes, you them to have a nice coloration. Drain them on a paper towels and serve.
Notes
If you want some extra crunchy you can add a layer of batter on top of those. Beat the egg white you didn’t use for the recipe, dip the ball into it and roll them into breadcrumbs or panko. Then fry them.