Do you remember Baccala from back in the day? Baccala is dried, salted Cod that is excellent if done properly. This is a recipe that we recommend. It is easier than some and yields what looks like a fish cake. We love it.
By the way if there is not an Italian store near you we offer affiliates on our website where you can order direct on line.
By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Ingredients
1 pound salt cod
1¼ pounds Idaho (russet) potatoes
1¼ cups milk
6 green onions finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Juice of ½ lemon
2 eggs, beaten
Plain (all-purpose) flour, for dusting
3½ oz. dried white breadcrumbs
Olive oil , for shallow frying
Lemon wedges and salad leaves, to serve
Aioli Dip:
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 egg yolks
1¼ cups olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon, to taste
Procedure
Soak the salt cod in cold water for at least 24 hours, changing the water two or three times. The cod should swell as it rehydrates. Sample a tiny piece. It should not taste unpleasantly salty when fully rehydrated. Drain well and pat dry with kitchen paper.
Cook the potatoes, unpeeled, in a pan of lightly salted boiling water for about 20 minutes, until tender. Drain. As soon as they are cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes, then mash with a potato masher.
Pour the milk into a pan, add half the green onions and bring to a simmer. Add the soaked cod and poach very gently for 10 to15 minutes, or until it flakes easily. Remove the cod and flake it with a fork into a bowl, discarding bones and skin.
Add 4 tablespoons of mashed potato to the cod and beat them together with a wooden spoon. Work in the olive oil, then gradually add the remaining mashed potato. Beat in the remaining green onions and the parsley.
Season with lemon juice and pepper to taste—the mixture may also need a little salt but taste it before adding any. Add one egg to the mixture and beat it until thoroughly combined, then chill until firm.
Shape the chilled fish mixture into 12 to 18 balls, then gently flatten into small round cakes. Coat each one in flour, then dip in the remaining beaten egg and coat with dried breadcrumbs. Chill until ready to fry.
Meanwhile, make the aioli. Place the garlic and a good pinch of salt in a mortar and pound to a paste with a pestle. Using a small whisk or a wooden spoon, gradually work in the egg yolks.
Beat in about half the olive oil, a drop at a time. When the sauce is as thick as soft butter, beat in 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Continue adding oil until the aioli is very thick. Season to taste, adding more lemon juice if you wish.
Heat about ¾ inch oil in a large, heavy frying pan. Add the fritters and cook over a medium-high heat for about 4 minutes. Turn them over and cook for a further 4 minutes on the other side, until crisp and golden. Drain on kitchen paper, then serve with the aioli and lemon wedges.
*
We hope you enjoy the recipes that we share. A lot of time and effort goes into finding good ones or creating them ourselves. This one came from Sur La Table’s kitchen.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.