Caribbean Salt Cod Fritters Food

CARIBBEAN SALT COD FRITTERS

Steps:

• Soak the salt cod in water overnight. Drain, rinse well, place in saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water and, when cool enough to handle, flake fish and set aside.
• Mix flour, baking powder, spices and salt together in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in egg, milk and melted butter. Mix together to make a smooth batter. Stir in onion, chilli and flaked fish and mix well. Add more or less flour/milk as needed to make a typical fritter batter --flours vary due to changes in humidity.
• Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in large deep fryingpan until hot but not smoking. Drop tablespoons of the mixture into the oil, a few at a time, spaced well apart. Fry for 3-4 minutes, turning once or twice until golden brown.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent paper. Keep warm in a 200 degree oven while frying the remaining fritters. Serve hot with your choice of dipping sauce (I like seafood cocktail sauce). Number of servings really depends on how big you make the fritters.
• These fritters freeze well and can be defrosted and reheated in a 375 degree oven till just hot.

SALT COD FRITTERS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring the potato and enough water to cover to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook just until fork tender, about 12 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl to cool for 10 minutes.
• With the back of a heavy fork, mash the potatoes until smooth but still slightly lumpy. Add the salt cod, green onions, parsley, 1 egg, the salt, and cayenne and mix until smooth.
• In a large, deep heavy pot or electric deep fryer, heat enough oil to come halfway up the sides to 350 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, combine the flour and 1 teaspoon of the Essence. In another bowl, beat together the remaining egg, the milk, and 1/4 teaspoon of the Essence, and in a third bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the remaining 2 teaspoons Essence.
• Divide the cod mixture into 24 and form into balls, about 1 1/4-inches in diameter and 1 heaping tablespoon each.
• One at a time, dip the cod balls in the flour and roll to coat evenly on all sides. Shake to remove any excess flour, dip in the egg wash, and then roll in the seasoned breadcrumbs. Place on a baking sheet.
• In batches, gently add the balls to the oil and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 2 1/2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
• Serve immediately.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch
• Published by William and Morrow, 1993.
• In a large glass or ceramic dish, lay the salt cod in a single layer. Add enough water to cover the fish by 1-inch, cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 6 hours.
• Drain the fish in a colander and rinse under cold running water. Place the fish on a work surface covered with paper towels and press each piece firmly with your hands. Pat the fish dry with paper towels and return to the soaking dish. Cover with fresh water, soaking and draining a total of three more times (for a total of 4 times in all).
• Place the rinsed and dried salt cod in an airtight container until ready to use, and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

JAMAICAN CODFISH FRITTERS

Steps:

• Soak salt cod for at least 5 hours, or overnight, changing water several times, prior to cooking.
• Mix flour, garlic powder, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add chili, scallions, tomato and stir in beaten egg. Add codfish and enough water to make the mixture kneadable. Knead ingredients and shape into 2-inch patties. Fry patties in a bit of oil in a skillet for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown

JAMAICAN SALTFISH FRITTERS (STAMP AND GO)

Steps:

• Soak the cod in cold water overnight to rehydrate it and remove excess salt (or see Cook's Note).
• Remove any bones and skin. Flake and shred the fish into small pieces and set aside.
• Sift flour, baking powder, and pepper into a large bowl. Add the diced tomatoes, green onions, and flaked cod. Pour in 1/2 cup water and stir until everything is blended.
• Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, drop rounded spoonfuls of batter into the skillet. Fry on each side until golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

ACCRAS DE MORUE

Steps:

• In a large bowl let the salt cod soak in enough cold water to cover it by 3 inches, changing the water several times, for an least 8 hours or overnight. Drain the salt cod well in a sieve and in a food processor purée it. Add the flour, the milk, the egg, the baking powder, the allspice, and the garlic and blend the mixture well. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the chili, the scallions, and the coriander. In a deep fryer or large deep skillet heat 1 1/2 inches of the oil to 360°F. on a deep-fat thermometer and in it fry teaspoons of the mixture in batches, stirring and turning them occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until they are golden and cooked through. Transfer the fritters as they are fried with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. The fritters may be made 2 days in advance and kept covered and chilled. Reheat the fritters on a rack in a shallow roasting pan in a preheated 450°F. oven for 5 minutes. Serve the fritters with the sauce.
• In a heatproof bowl combine the onion, the scallions, the bell pepper, the garlic, the chili, the salt, and the thyme. In a small saucepan bring the water to a boil with the vinegar, pour the vinegar mixture over the vegetable mixture, and let the mixture cool. Stir in the lime juice and the oil. The sauce may be made 2 days in advance and kept covered and chilled. Let the sauce come to room temperature, stir in the chopped coriander, and garnish the sauce with the coriander sprigs. Makes about 2 cups.

SALT COD FRITTERS WITH SAFFRON ALLIOLI

Steps:

• Put the salt cod in a saucepan with enough water to cover it and add a bay leaf. Bring to just under the boil, take the pan off the heat, put a lid on it and leave to sit for 10 mins. Lift the fish out onto a plate, reserving the cooking water. Flake the cod, removing the skin. Cook the potatoes in the salt cod cooking water until tender, about 12 mins depending on size. Drain, then put a clean tea towel over the pan, cover and leave for 5 mins or so (this helps the potatoes dry out a bit).
• Bring 300ml water and the olive oil to the boil in a saucepan. Take the pan off the heat and immediately add the flour in a slow stream, whisking (use a balloon whisk) as you do so. You will end up with a batter, if it is a little lumpy, beat it hard. Leave to cool for about 5 mins. Beat in the eggs, a little at a time, until you have a smooth mixture - you need to beat hard.
• Mash the potatoes with the salt cod, garlic, parsley, lemon juice and seasoning (even though you are using salt cod, this needs good seasoning). Beat the mixture into the batter, then cook over a low heat for about 8 mins, stirring all the time. The mixture should thicken considerably and come away from the sides of the pan. Put in a bowl, cover and leave to cool completely. Form the mixture into balls, bigger than walnuts but not as big as golf balls.
• To make the allioli, gently heat the lemon juice and vinegar in a small pan. Add the saffron, stir to help it dissolve and leave it to sit for 15 mins. Put the garlic on a chopping board and, using salt as an abrasive, crush them to a paste. Put the egg yolks and garlic in a bowl. Using an electric whisk, slowly add the olive oil a drop at a time. As the mixture starts to thicken, you can increase the quantity. Gradually add the saffron mixture, then taste and season (the seasoning and how much lemon juice you use is really important).
• Heat the oil in a deep saucepan (fill it no more than a third full) until it reaches 190C on a thermometer or a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Deep-fry the balls, in batches, for 4 mins, or until deep golden. Drain on a double layer of kitchen paper and serve hot with the allioli and lemon wedges.