Salt Cod Fritters- bolinhos de bacalhau

A little history about this one:

Not long after Columbus first discovered the New World, Portuguese Fisherman were plying the waters off Newfoundland for codfish, which they preserved first by gutting, filleting and salting while still at sea and then by sun drying once back home. The Spanish meanwhile were introduced to the uses of salt cod at the same time by cooks in the South of France. 

Today, in both countries the strong briny tasting tender fish, remains a popular basis for appetizers and main courses.

 Salt Cod Fritters- Bolinhos de Bacalhau

Although they originated in Northern Portugal, these golden fritters are now served throughout the country.  Accompany these with Piri- Piri ( Hot Sauce) or a few lemon wedges.

Here is the recipe, I call this a 3 part recipe.

 Here are the ingredients:

½ lb of boneless salt cod, soaked – see note below

2-4 potatoes boiled

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

1 small yellow onion minced

2 cloves of garlic finely minced

2 eggs lightly beaten

3 tablespoons of fresh parsley  Italian)

3 tablespoons of fresh cilantro (fresh coriander)

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Milk if needed

Olive oil or vegetable oil for deep-frying

For this dish to come out right you must first soak the cod-fish to rehydrated it for at least 3 days before using.  In a bowl with cold water, then put the cod-fish, the following day remove the water, refill the bowl with cold water and add the fish, the following day you would do the same.

The soaking time will depend upon how heavily salted and how thick the cod is.  When the fish is ready it will be puffy and lighter in color.  Drain and go ahead as directed for your recipes.  When purchasing cod for this recipe or any other cod recipe I may post, look for filleted salt cod.

Some supermarkets that does carry boneless salt cod is Shoprite, Acme, and Pathmark.

Step One

Drain the Cod fish and place in a saucepan with water to cover.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until tender. Which should be about 10-20 minutes, Drain, and, when cool enough to handle, flake the cod, removing any bits of skin and small bones.  Pulse in a food processor until finely shredded, then place in a bowl.

Part 2 of step One

Combine the potatoes with water in another saucepan, bring to a boil and boil until potatoes are tender, which should be about 20-30 minutes.  Drain and when slightly cooled, peel and mash until smooth, then add to the salt cod.

Step Two

In a small sauté pan over medium heat, warm the oil.  Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes.  Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add those contents into the bowl that has the cod and the mashed potatoes.

Fold in the eggs lightly beaten, parsley, and cilantro.  Season with cayenne pepper and black pepper. The mixture should be the consistency of firm mashed potatoes.  If it is to stiff, beat in to it a little milk.

Part Three

There are variations to this step, so I am going to give you both.

1. Form  mixture into small balls
2. Take two tablespoons and put some of the mixture and use the spoons to form small football shapes

Part Three

Final step

In a deep heavy frying pan, pour in oil to a depth of 2 inches ( 5cm) and heat to 375 degrees F. (190 degrees C) add the balls or football shapes a few at a time and fry until golden, about 4 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.

You can serve them at once or wait till they cool off

Don’t forget the hot sauce.

clams sauteed in white wine sauce/Ameijoas a Bolhao Pato

As a mom and full-time cook I am always on the hunt for delicious and exotic recipes to make for my family.  I love seafood, meat dishes, fish dishes, pork, you name it I am always ready to try it.  I don’t

Just look for main courses,   not at all, I am always on the hunt for appetizers, soups,  stews, deserts, cakes, pies,  breads, cookies,  you name it , I am always looking

Now what makes me a little different from most people who love to cook is that I am a Portuguese American, and how does that make me different you ask.  Anyone that has more than one nationality, will tell you that as a rule if you are a female, we are required to know how to cook at an early age.

Our mom’s start us young and with simple things,  to tell you the truth,  I knew how to cook by the time I was fourteen and I started late in life.

I always loved Portuguese food,  the smell, the taste, the ingredients, the process, it was a lot of fun. 

As I got older I discovered that most of the ingredients in those dishes, I had no clue what they were in English, but obviously my mother did.  So I did a little research and discovered that in fact they do exist.

So now I can translate any dish to English which makes me very happy, because now more people can enjoy the dishes that my mom and I have made for years.

I  live  in a small town in New Jersey.  My mom and dad had a small family restaurant that served excellent food for many years.  Everyday people would tell me and my sister, that they wished they could make that or the other recipe or they wished that the recipes were in English so that they could serve their families.

If you ever have been to Portugal or Spain, and wished you could make those dishes, boy do I have a treat for you,  I will be posting recipes on a daily basis.  Enjoy them as much as my family does.

The first recipe I am going to begin with today is Clams sautéed in White Wine sauce, or as I call it Ameijoas a  Bolhao Pato. I am also going to share a little history about this recipe and how it came to be.

Here is a picture for you of what I am talking about.

This dish is named after the nineteenth century Lisbon Poet, Bulhao Pato, a well-known  gourmand and today is a popular first course in the Capital’s many tascas and typical restaurants.  By the way Tascas are small corner Bars or dives where normally tourists don’t  enter.   They don’t know what they are missing, the food is excellent and cheap,  most of the times the prices are lower than most tourist restaurants, and the food comes in greater  quantities.

These are the ingredients that you will need:

½  cup of Olive Oil

5 Cloves of Garlic finely minced

Pinch of  red pepper flakes ( optional)

1 Tablespoon fine dried bread crumbs, toasted ( optional)

3 lbs of small clams preferably Manila clams , well scrubbed.

½ cup of dry white wine

1 cup of water

¼ cup of fresh Parsley finely chopped

¼ cup  of chopped fresh cilantro ( fresh coriander)

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic, the Red Pepper flakes and if using the bread crumbs. Add the bread crumbs and sauté until softened and pale gold., or about 5 minutes.

Add the Clams, wine, and water.  Cover  and cook until the clams open, about 5-10 minutes, depending on the size of the clams.  Discard any clams that did not open

Transfer the clams and pan juices to  warmed soup bowls, dividing evenly.  Sprinkle with the parsley and the cilantro and serve at once.

As you can see it is a pretty simple recipe.

I will be posting more recipes everyday.  If by some chance you are Portuguese and there is a recipe that you like and would like it translated so that you can make it, leave me a comment , since I come here everyday and check it.

Hope you like it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As a mom and full time cook I am always on the hunt for delicious and exotic recipes to make for my family.  I love seafood, meat dishes, fish dishes, pork, you name it I am always ready to try it.  I don’t

Just look for main courses,  no not at all, I am always on the hunt for appetizers, soups,  stews, deserts, cakes, pies, pudin, mousses, breads, cookies,  you name it , I am always looking

Now what makes me a little different than most people that love to cook is that I am a Portuguese American, and how does that make me different you ask.  Anyone that has more than one nationality, will tell you that as a rule if you are a female, we are required to know how to cook at an early age.

Our mom’s start us young and with simple things,  to tell you the truth,  I knew how to cook by the time I was fourteen and I started late in life.

I always loved Portuguese food,  the smell, the taste, the ingredients, the whole process, it was a lot of fun. 

As I got older I discovered that most of the ingredients in those dishes, I had no clue what they were in English, but obviously my mother did.  So I did a little research and discovered that in fact they do exist.

So now I can translate any dish to English which makes me very happy, because now more people can enjoy the dishes that my mom and I have been making for years.

I  live  in a small town in New Jersey.  My mom and dad had a small family restaurant that served excellent food for many years.  Everyday people would tell me and my sister, that they wished they could make that or the other recipe or they wished that the recipes were in English so that they could serve their families.

If you ever have been to Portugal or Spain, and wished you could make those dishes, boy do I have a treat for you,  I will be posting recipes on a daily basis.  Enjoy them as much as my family does.

 The first recipe I am going to begin with today is Clams Sauteed in White Wine sauce, or as I call it Ameijoas a  Bolhao Pato. I am also going to share a little history about this recipe and how it came to be.

Here is a picture for you of what I am talking about.

 

This dish is named after the nineteenth century Lisbon Poet, Bulhao Pato, a well-known  gourmand and today is a popular first course in the Capital’s many tascas and typical restaurants.  By the way Tascas are small corner Bars or dives where normally tourists don’t  enter.   They don’t know what they are missing, the food is excellent and cheap,  most of the times the prices are lower than most tourist restaurants, and the food comes in greater  quantities.

These are the ingredients that you will need:

½  cup of Olive Oil

5 Cloves of Garlic finely minced

Pinch of  red pepper flakes ( optional)

1 Tablespoon fine dried bread crumbs, toasted ( optional)

3 lbs of small clams preferably Manila clams , well scrubbed.

½ cup of dry white wine

1 cup of water

¼ cup of fresh Parsley finely chopped

¼ cup  of chopped fresh cilantro ( fresh coriander)

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic, the Red Pepper flakes and if using the bread crumbs. Add the bread crumbs and sauté until softened and pale gold., or about 5 minutes.

Add the Clams, wine, and water.  Cover  and cook until the clams open, about 5-10 minutes, depending on the size of the clams.  Discard any clams that did not open

Transfer the clams and pan juices to  warmed soup bowls, dividing evenly.  Sprinkle with the parsley and the cilantro and serve at once.

As you can see it is a pretty simple recipe.

I will be posting more recipes everyday.  If by some chance you are Portuguese and there is a recipe that you like and would like it translated so that you can make it, leave me a comment , since I come here everyday and check it.

Hope you like it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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