Crispy Salt Cod Fritters with Perinaise Sauce

Soaking the salt cod

While researching Portuguese recipes I was excited to see so much salted cod! As a Newfoundland transplant, the dish salt cod fish n’ brewis has a special place in my heart and is a rarity in my house (since Greg finds it “revolting”…hmm…).

Salted cod is preserved by drying and salting filets of cod fish. You can find Chelsea brand salt cod in most Canadian grocery stores, typically in a little blue bag in the fridge (not frozen) seafood section.

Before salt cod (also known as saltfish) can be used it should first be desalinated, so roughly 24 hours before cooking soak your salt cod in cold water, changing the water every few hours.

Pasteis de Bacalhau

No Portuguese Grand Prix would be complete without a spread of tapas to start the meal. Given Portugal’s location on the Iberian Peninsula, its no surprise that seafood is a big player in many dishes. In addition to the salt cod fritters below, we also used the perinaise sauce as a condiment to serve tin preserved octopus and mackerel pate.

Portuguese Salt Cod Fritters

Crispy, fluffy, irresistible salt cod fritters. Enjoy with a spicy perinaise sauce for dipping!

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Prep Time 12 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 12 hours hrs 35 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Formation Lap

Cuisine Portuguese

Servings 24 fritters

Equipment

• Food Processor
• Deep Fryer

Ingredients

  

Salt Cod Fritters

• 300 grams salt cod
• 300 grams russet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• frying oil

Peri-naise

• 1 tbsp peri-peri sauce
• 2 tbsp full-fat mayonnaise

Instructions

 

Prep the Salt Cod

• Roughly 12 hours before cooking, or overnight, soak the salt cod filets in cold water. Refresh the water every 3-4 hours.
• Once the salt cod has been desalinated, place the fish in a pot of fresh clean water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the fish and set aside to cool.
• Once the cod is cool to the touch, gently flake the fish apart and remove all the bones.

Make the Fritters

• In a fresh pot of water, boil the russet potato chunks until fork tender. Strain the potatoes and set aside to cool slightly.
• In a food processor, add the cool fish, potatoes, and all remaining ingredients. Pulse until chunky but well-combined. This mix can be made in advance and set in the fridge until ready to fry.
• Heat your frying oil to roughly 175°C. Using two spoons, scoop your fritter batter into a rough quenelle shape and drop into the fryer. Flip the fritters once while frying, and remove from the fryer when they reach a dark golden colour. Drain the fritters on a paper towel and serve immediately. Garnish with a sprinkling of finishing salt.
• Combine the peri-peri sauce and mayo together in a side dish for a quick dipping sauce.

Notes

Serve with peri-peri sauce or perinaise!

Keyword fish, portugal, salt cod