Buñuelos de Bacalao (Cod Fritters)
Adapted from Claudia Roden's 2011 magnum opus The Food of Spain, this recipe for one of Spain's most popular tapas uses fresh cod rather than the traditional salt cod — which gives them a fresher feel than traditional ones. They’re also much quicker to make, since you don’t have to soak the fish, an overnight step required with salted cod.
READ: “Why my desert-isle cookbook author would probably be Claudia Roden”
Makes about 22 fritters.
Ingredients
1 to 2 russet potatoes (about 9 ounces), peeled and quartered
1/2 pound skinless cod fillet
1/4 teaspoon salt (or more or less to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoons beer
2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
Olive oil, canola or sunflower oil for frying
Instructions
1. Put the potatoes in a medium pot, cover with water, add enough salt to make it taste like the sea and bring to a boil over high heat. Continue boiling until the potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes. Drain them, put them in a medium bowl and mash them with a masher or fork. Set aside.
2. Using the same pot (just give it a quick rinse), fill about halfway with water (also salted to sea-saltiness), and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add the cod, turn the heat down a bit so the water simmers, and poach the fish for 3 minutes, or until it just begins to flake. Drain the fish, add it to the bowl with the potatoes, and use a fork to break up the cod and mix it with the potatoes. Taste the mixture, and add the salt, if necessary, along with a few grinds of pepper. Use a garlic press to squeeze in the garlic to a paste, then add the eggs, flour, baking powder, beer and parsley and beat well with a fork to thoroughly combine. Cover with plastic film and let it rest in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.
3. Line a plate or sheet pan with paper towels. Pour about 1/2 of oil into a wide skillet, and heat over medium-high heat until a small piece of bread sizzles when you drop it in but does not brown too quickly. Drop small portions — about 2 tablespoons worth — of the cod mixture into the oil, working in batches, and fry over medium heat until the fritters are golden, turning them over once. As they’re done, remove them with a slotted spoon to the paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
Buñuelos de Bacalao (Cod Fritters)
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 russet potatoes (about 9 ounces), peeled and quartered
- 1/2 pound skinless cod fillet
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (or more or less to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 tablespoons beer
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
- Olive oil, canola or sunflower oil for frying
Instructions
- Put the potatoes in a medium pot, cover with water, add enough salt to make it taste like the sea and bring to a boil over high heat. Continue boiling until the potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes. Drain them, put them in a medium bowl and mash them with a masher or fork. Set aside.
- Using the same pot (just give it a quick rinse), fill about halfway with water (also salted to sea-saltiness), and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add the cod, turn the heat down a bit so the water simmers, and poach the fish for 3 minutes, or until it just begins to flake. Drain the fish, add it to the bowl with the potatoes, and use a fork to break up the cod and mix it with the potatoes. Taste the mixture, and add the salt, if necessary, along with a few grinds of pepper. Use a garlic press to squeeze in the garlic to a paste, then add the eggs, flour, baking powder, beer and parsley and beat well with a fork to thoroughly combine. Cover with plastic film and let it rest in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.
- Line a plate or sheet pan with paper towels. Pour about 1/2 of oil into a wide skillet, and heat over medium-high heat until a small piece of bread sizzles when you drop it in but does not brown too quickly. Drop small portions — about 2 tablespoons worth — of the cod mixture into the oil, working in batches, and fry over medium heat until the fritters are golden, turning them over once. As they’re done, remove them with a slotted spoon to the paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
