Portuguese Salted Cod Fritters Pastéis De Bacalhau Food

PORTUGUESE SALTED COD FRITTERS (PASTéIS DE BACALHAU)

Steps:

• Soak the cod for 24 hours, changing the water 3 or 4 times through-out.
• Cover whole potatoes with cold water in a medium pot.
• Add 1 tbsp salt and bring to a boil over medium heat.
• Cook potatoes uncovered until tender (between 15 and 30 minutes, depending on how large the potatoes are).
• Discard the water and set the potatoes aside to cool.
• In a medium pot, add the cod and cover with water.
• Bring the water to a boil on medium heat, and cook for about 10 minutes or until the fish starts to flake.
• Discard the water and place the fish on paper towel to remove excess water, and let cool.
• Remove the fish skin and bones.
• In a frying pan, heat 1/2 the olive oil on medium heat and sauté the onions for about 3 minutes.
• Add the garlic and continue to sauté for 2 more minutes being careful not to burn the garlic. Reduce the heat if necessary.
• Add the remaining olive oil.
• Flake the fish into the pan with the onions, and cook for another 5 minutes. Keep stirring to ensure the fish is completely flaked and mixed well with the onions and garlic.
• Turn off the heat, and set aside.
• Peel the potatoes and mash them completely until fluffy.
• In a large bowl, add the potatoes, sautée mixture, parsley, eggs, pepper and nutmeg.
• Use a large spoon to mix all the ingredients very well. Make sure it's all combined.
• Taste a bit of the mixture and add salt if needed. Depending on how salty the cod was, you may or may not need a little extra salt.
• If you added salt, mix well again.
• Heat the vegetable oil to 355 ºF in a deep fryer, dutch oven or other heavy pot.
• Use two spoons to form the fritters.
• Use one spoon to scoop up a serving of the fish mixture and use the other spoon to form a small portion in the shape of a tiny (American) football. See photo.
• Carefully place a fritter in the hot oil and cook, turning it occasionally for about 3 minutes or until golden brown.
• You can fry more than one fritter at a time, but be careful not to over crowd them.
• Place the cooked fritters on a paper towel-lined serving dish to soak up the excess oil.
• Serve with a fresh salad, rice or potatoes. These fritters can be eaten hot or cold.

MARIA'S PORTUGUESE BACALAU

Steps:

• Soak the dried salted cod in cold water for 24 hours, changing the water several times.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the soaked cod, and boil for about 5 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove cod from water, and save water for cooking potatoes. Remove skin and bones from the cod, and flake the meat into pieces using a fork. Set fish aside in a large bowl.
• In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, 1 clove of garlic, 1 tablespoon of parsley, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Pour over the fish, and toss lightly to coat.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place the potatoes into the fish water, and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain under cool water, peel and cut into 1/4 inch slices.
• While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, and saute until golden and caramelized. Stir one clove of garlic into the onions. Set aside.
• Layer half of the potato slices in the bottom of a greased 8x11 inch baking dish. Cover with half of the cod, then half of the onions. Repeat layers, ending with onion.
• Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned. Before serving, garnish the top with green and black olives, and hard-cooked eggs. Sprinkle with remaining parsley.

SALT COD FRITTERS: PASTEIS DE BACALHAU

Steps:

• Starting a day ahead, soak the dried cod in cold water for 12 to 24 hours, changing the water several times to remove the majority of the salt. Drain the cod, rinse, and put it in a large pot. Add the milk and enough water to cover by 1-inch; cooking the cod in milk keeps it really moist. Simmer gently over medium-low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cod is tender and pliable. Drain and rinse well, then flake the cod into a bowl with your hands, removing any little bits of skin and bone.
• While the cod is cooking, pour 1-inch of water in a large pot fitted with a steamer insert. Add the potatoes and simmer on medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes until very tender. Drain the potatoes, peel off the skins, and mash them well with a potato masher or pass them through a ricer or sieve.
• Add the cod to the potatoes, along with the onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, and eggs. Beat the mixture firmly with a wooden spoon so that it well combined and firm ¿ a spoon should stand up in it. (If you find it too dry, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of milk.) Season with a pinch of pepper and taste for salt - you may not need to add any, as the cod itself retains enough saltiness, in spite of being soaked and boiled. With lightly moistened hands or using 2 tablespoons, shape the cod mixture into egg-shaped balls ¿ you should get about 25. (The cod balls can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day before cooking or frozen in a container.)
• Heat 3-inches of oil in a deep heavy skillet or pot to 370 degrees F. Add a few of the cod balls at a time to the hot oil, turning them 3 or 4 times to get nicely browned all over. Carefully lift the cod fritters out of the pan with a slotted spoon and place on a platter lined with paper towels to drain. Repeat. Serve hot or at room temperature with lemon wedges.

PORTUGUESE-STYLE SALT COD FRITTERS WITH LEMON AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Starting a day ahead, soak the dried cod in cold water for 18 to 24 hours, changing the water several times to remove the majority of the salt. Drain the cod, rinse, and put it in a large pot. Add the milk, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and enough water to cover the cod by 1 inch; cooking the cod in milk keeps it very moist. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, or until the cod is tender and pliable. Drain (discard the milk) and rinse the fish well, then flake it into a bowl, removing any little bits of skin and bone.
• While the cod is cooking, put the potatoes in a pot with water to cover, bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes, until very tender. Drain the potatoes, peel, and mash them well into a bowl with a potato masher, or pass them through a ricer or sieve.
• Add the cod to the bowl with the potatoes, along with the onion, minced garlic, parsley, cilantro, and eggs. Beat the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon until it's really well combined and stiff; a spoon should stand up in it. (if it's too dry, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of milk.) Season with a pinch of pepper and taste for salt - you probably won't need to add any, as the cod itself is still salty in spit of having been soaked and boiled.
• With lightly moistened hands or using two tablespoons, shape the cod mixture into egg-shaped balls - you should get about 25. (The cod balls can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day before cooking, or frozen in a tightly covered container for several weeks.)
• Heat about 1 inch of oil in a deep, heavy skillet or pot to 370°F on a deep-fry thermometer. Add a few of the fritters to the oil and cook, turning them three or four times to get them nicely browned all over. Carefully lift them our of the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on a platter lined with paper towels. Keep going to cook all of the fritters. Taste one and, if needed, sprinkle with salt while the fritters are still hot. Serve hot or at room temperature with a pile of olives and lemon wedges.

PORTUGUESE BACALHAU à BRáS (SALT COD AND POTATOES)

Steps:

• Note: Soak Cod fish in water overnight.
• Next day change water and place Cod in a pot with enough water to cover it. Boil for about 15 minutes. Drain and let cool. Once Cod has cooled, flake it.
• Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to non stick pan and fry potatoes in batches each time using another tbsp of olive oil if necessary.
• Place paper towel on the bottom of a glass dish safe for the oven and keep fries warm in the oven.
• Once you are done with the potatoes add 1 tbsp of olive oil to pan and add the bay leaf. Simmer for about 2-3 minutes. remove bay leafs from pan (discard).
• add garlic, onions (pepper flakes if using) to the pan and saute until onions begin to soften.
• add the parsley and let saute a bit.
• add flaked Cod and keep tossing until Cod gets warm.
• add the eggs, keep stirring so not to let the eggs stick to pan. this mixture will start to look like scrambled eggs.
• Once you are done with your Cod and eggs mixture.
• Combine fries with Cod mixture.
• add olives if using.
• taste, add salt and black pepper if needed.
• when serving squeeze lemon juice from a slice of lemon ontop.
• add dash of tabsco sauce if using.
• Enjoy.

BAKED BACALHAU / SALTED COD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Place potatoes in a large pot of water bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes and remove placing on towels to air dry.
• Drizzle 1/4 cup olive oil in a large heavy bottom pan Saute garlic for 30 seconds and stir in potatoes, then sliced onions and peppers.
• Mix salt pepper, parsley and paprika together.
• Season the vegetables with 3/4 of the mix.
• Season the cod with the remaining spice mix.
• Nestle the cod in between the vegetable mix.
• Drizzle with Olive oil and add white wine.
• Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes or until its all cooked through.
• Toss the mixture every once or twice so that all flavours get incorporated.
• Raise oven to 425. Toss and top with olives baking for 10 more minutes.
• Enjoy!