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Sekai Gohan
Bolinho de Bacalhau: Brazilian Salt Cod and Potato Fritters
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Dried salt cod (bacalhau), soaked, poached and flaked | 2½ cups (600 ml) | The flavor and the fibrous strands through the center |
| Potatoes (batata), peeled and cubed | 1 lb 2 oz (500 g) | The soft body that holds the fish together |
| Salt, for the potato cooking water | 1 tsp | Seasons the potatoes from inside |
| Salt, for the mixture | ½ tsp | Final seasoning, added after tasting |
| Chives, finely chopped | 2 tsp | Mild onion freshness |
| Parsley, finely chopped | 3 tbsp | Green color and a clean herbal note |
| Onion (cebola), finely chopped | 2 tbsp | Sweetness and a little bite |
| White pepper | a generous pinch | Gentle heat that stays invisible in the pale mixture |
| Nutmeg | a small pinch | Warmth that rounds out the fish and potato |
| Eggs, medium | 3 | 2 yolks and 2 whipped whites go into the mixture; 1 whole egg is for the coating |
| Breadcrumbs (farinha de rosca) | ⅔ cup (90 g) | The crisp golden crust |
| Oil, for deep-frying | about 1 quart (1 L) | Enough depth for the fritters to float and turn |
| Canned cream (creme de leite), chilled | ¾ cup (180 ml) | Base of the rose sauce |
| Ketchup | 3–4 tbsp | Color and sweet tang for the sauce |
| Salt and white pepper, for the sauce | a pinch each | Seasons the sauce |
Steps
1Soak the salt cod in the refrigerator
Put the salt cod fillets in a large bowl and pour in enough cold water to cover them completely. Set the bowl in the refrigerator and leave it there for 24 hours. Change the water 5 to 6 times during that time, keeping the fish fully under water and in the fridge throughout. When the soak is done, lift the fillets out and drain them.
2Poach the cod
Put the drained cod in a pot and add water to cover. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes. Drain the fish in a colander.
3Remove the skin and bones and flake the cod
Let the cod cool until you can handle it comfortably. Peel away the skin, then run your fingers through the flesh and pick out every bone. Tear the fish into flakes by hand and measure 2½ cups (600 ml). The cod is ready when the bowl holds loose, fibrous shreds with no bones or hard bits left.
4Boil and mash the potatoes
Put the potato cubes in a pot of water with 1 tsp salt and boil for about 20 minutes. Drain them well. Leave them to cool for about 5 minutes so the surface moisture steams off. Mash with a fork until smooth, with no lumps left.
5Season the cod and potato
Add the flaked cod to the mashed potato along with the chives, parsley, onion, white pepper and nutmeg. Mix until the fish strands are spread evenly through the potato. Taste a little, then add the ½ tsp salt if it needs it and mix again. Leave the eggs out for now; the mixture is ready when it is evenly flecked with green.
6Add the egg yolks
Separate 2 of the eggs, dropping the whites into a clean, dry bowl. Stir the two yolks into the cod and potato mixture. Keep the third egg whole and set it aside for the coating. The mixture is ready when it turns an even pale yellow with no streaks of yolk.
7Whip the whites and fold them in
Beat the two whites with the mixer at medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until they hold firm peaks. Add them to the bowl and fold them in with a spatula, cutting down through the middle and turning the mixture over. Work gently so the whites keep their air. Stop as soon as no white streaks remain; the mixture looks softer and lighter than before.
The whites make the center fluffyWhipped whites are what turn a dense potato croquette into a light fritter. Fold until the streaks just disappear and then stop; a few extra strokes flatten the foam you just built.
8Shape and coat the fritters
Shape the mixture into round balls the size of a small lemon; you get about 30. Beat the remaining whole egg in a shallow dish and spread the breadcrumbs in another. Dip the balls in the egg 1 to 4 at a time, then lift each one with a spoon and fork so the excess drips away. Roll them in the breadcrumbs until the whole surface is evenly coated with no bare patches.
9Fry until golden
Pour about 1 quart (1 L) of oil into a deep, heavy pot and heat it to 355°F (180°C) on the thermometer. Lower in no more than 6 fritters at a time. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes, turning them partway through. Lift them out with a slotted spoon when they are deep golden all over, and drain them on paper towels.
Let the oil recover between batchesOil that is too cool soaks into the crust and the fritters come out greasy. Check the thermometer before every batch and wait for it to climb back to 355°F (180°C) before the next fritters go in.
10Keep warm, mix the sauce and serve
Set the drained fritters on a baking sheet in a 195°F (90°C) oven while you fry the rest, and keep them there for no longer than 15 minutes. Stir the chilled cream with the ketchup, a pinch of salt and a pinch of white pepper. Spoon it into a small dish. The sauce is ready when it is smooth and pale pink; serve it right away with the hot fritters.