Home > Worldwide Recipes > Brazil > Festival Dishes > Codfish Bites
( Bolinhos de Bacalhau )
Codfish Bites
( Bolinhos de Bacalhau )
Like Christmas itself, these delicious holiday appetizers came to Brazil with the Portuguese and these appetizers remain a local favourite.
Ingredients
¾ lb. boneless, skinned salt cod fillets*
2 small new potatoes, washed and peeled
1 small onion, minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 eggs, separated
1 to 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
Malagueta pepper sauce (optional)
Details
Preparation time: 60 minutes
Cooking time: 60 minutes
Ready in: 150 minutes
Makes: 24
Method
Place salt cod in a dish with enough water to cover. Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. If you have time, change water once or twice during soaking.
When fish is nearly done soaking, cut the potatoes into halves and place in a stockpot with enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook 20 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat and let cool.
Meanwhile, drain cod, rinse well and place in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until fish is tender. Remove from heat. When fish is cool, carefully remove the bones and skin.* Chop fish into roughly ½ inch pieces.
Mash potatoes with a fork or potato masher and place in a large mixing bowl. Add cod, onion, parsley, salt and pepper. Beat egg yolks in a small bowl and add to codfish mixture. Stir to combine. If mixture is runny, add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour and mix well.
In a small bowl, beat egg whites for about 5 or 6 minutes or until stiff.
Fold whites into codfish mixture. Cover mixture and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Form codfish mixture into small balls, about 1 to 1½ inches in diameter. Pour about 2 inches of oil into a deep kettle or frying pan.
Heat to 350ºF or until a drop of water flicked into the pan jumps out.
Use a slotted spoon to place 4 or 5 balls into the oil. Fry for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown all over. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Serve hot, with malagueta pepper sauce for dipping, if desired.
*Look for salt cod in the seafood department of your local grocery store or at Latin American markets. If you cannot find boneless, skinless fillets, you can remove the bones and skins yourself after soaking. Use a sharp knife and a fork to peel the skin away from the flesh and use your fingers to remove the bones.
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