Brazilian Codfish Balls (Bolinho de Bacalhau)

We Brazilians love our salty snacks and appetizers.  And codfish balls (bolinho de bacalhau) are about as classic an example of both as they come in Brazil.  They are of Portuguese origin, and are traditionally made from salted cod.  If you stop at a street-side cafe in Brazil, or if you attend a social function where savory hors d’oeuvres are being served, you are bound to encounter these crispy, light, melt-in-your-mouth little treats.  And they are even better, they say, with a really cold beer!  Me?  I prefer them with a chilled white wine.

Like the gnocchi recipe I posted a couple of weeks ago, I used to be intimidated by bolinho de bacalhau.  Probably because both recipes call for riced potatoes.  And any dough made with riced potato tends to be very fragile indeed.  When I nailed the gnocchi, I knew it was time to give Brazilian codfish balls a try as well.  Steve loves these, and we often order them when we eat at our local Brazilian restaurant.  I stretched and learned to make gnocchi for my nephew Luke, so I figured I should be able to do the same with bolinho de bacalhau for Steve.

As with everything else I tackle for the first time, this recipe required research.  I poured through several different recipes.  Compared ingredients, read reviews.  I evaluated which techniques seemed to produce the type of codfish balls worthy of the Brazilian bars, restaurants, and caterers.  That is, codfish balls that are light and crispy on the outside, while moist, delicate, and savory on the inside.  There needed to be just enough potato to make the dough soft, and just enough flaky cod to give these fritters their distinctive flavor and texture.

All that research paid off because I am in love with the results!  And it was SO much easier than I expected that I knew I had to share my version of Brazilian codfish balls.

Making Brazilian Codfish Balls

I find salt cod frozen at the local Asian supermarkets.  They all seem to carry them.  Or, you can order it online, from places that cater to Portuguese, Spanish or Brazilian foods, such as Amigo Foods.

You will need at least a 24-hour lead for making these yummy treats.  That is because the salt cod needs to be soaked for 24-36 hours, in water, in the refrigerator, changing the water 4 to 6 times.  The process is necessary to re-hydrate the fish and to remove the excess salt.

When the cod has finished soaking, drain it well.

Cut the potatoes into 8ths and boil for about 30 minutes until completely tender, then drain.

At the same time, boil the soaked cod for about 15 minutes until nice and tender, then place in a colander to drain.

While cooking the potatoes and fish, lightly sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil just until fragrant and very lightly softened.  Remove from the burner and set aside.

Break the cooked cod apart into the bowl of a food processor.  Remove any bones or skin that may still be attached to the meat.

Pulse a few times until the fish is shredded.  Set aside to work on the potatoes.

As soon as the potato sections have cooled enough to touch, peel off the skins and process the pieces through a potato ricer or a food mill with a ricer attachment.  The riced potatoes should still be fairly warm at this stage.

Separate the eggs.

Then add the shredded fish, the cayenne, the egg yolks, parsley, cilantro, and the sautéed onions and garlic to the riced potatoes.  Stir everything to mix well.  At this point, you can pinch off a little section and microwave it for about 20 seconds or so on high to taste for seasoning.  Add salt as needed.

Then whip the egg whites into stiff peaks and fold them gently into the mixture, again being sure to mix everything thoroughly.  My research showed that it is a necessary step to ensure the inside of the codfish balls are light and tender.

Then shape into balls about 2 inches in diameter and roll the shaped balls in the bread crumbs.  Transfer to a sheet pan lightly dusted with bread crumbs to prevent the balls from sticking.

Deep fry the balls in small batches in enough oil to cover them.  I used a sauce pan with just over two inches of oil, and I fried them in batches of three, turning them in the hot oil, until they were a beautiful golden brown.  About 4-5 minutes per batch.

Transfer the fried codfish balls to a sheet pan covered with paper towels to drain.

Serve warm.

Enjoy them with your favorite hot sauce, or simply drizzle with some fresh lime juice. I love them both ways, so you just can’t go wrong.

I broke one apart for you to get a sense of what the texture is like.  Can you see how light and delicate it looks inside?

Although each little ball feels a bit dense when you first pick it up, when you bite into one, you can understand what it means to get the dough just so.  Flaky fish, melt-in-your-mouth softness, with the layers of olive oil, onion, garlic and seasonings.    These codfish balls are so delicate and SO delicious.  There’s no having just one!

I’m not a fan of “fishy” fish, people.  So, trust me when I tell you, these little gems are AMAZING!  Give them a try because they are so easy and SO, SO good!

Brazilian Codfish Balls (Bolinho de Bacalhau)

 

Author: Lori

Prep time:  35 mins

Cook time:  20 mins

Total time:  55 mins

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Ingredients

• 1 pound salt cod, soaked
• 2 medium baking potatoes
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 3 tablespoons chopped parley
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1-2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• Salt
• 4-6 cups canola or vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

1. Cut the potatoes into 8ths and boil for about 30 minutes until completely tender.
2. At the same time, boil the soaked cod for about 15 minutes until nice and tender, then place in a colander to drain.
3. While cooking the potatoes and fish, lightly sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil just until fragrant and very lightly softened. Remove from the burner and set aside.
4. When the potato sections have cooled enough to touch, peel off the skins and process the pieces into a large bowl through a potato ricer or a food mill with a ricer attachment.
5. Separate the eggs.
6. Heat the oil for frying.
7. Add the shredded fish, the cayenne, the egg yolks, parsley, cilantro, and the sautéd onions and garlic to the riced potatoes. Stir everything to mix well. Pinch off a little section and microwave it for about 20 seconds or so on high to taste for seasoning. Add salt as needed.
8. Whip the egg whites into stiff peaks and fold them gently into the mixture, again being sure to mix everything thoroughly.
9. Shape the dough into balls about 2 inches in diameter and roll the shaped balls in the bread crumbs. Transfer to a sheet pan lightly dusted with bread crumbs to prevent the balls from sticking.
10. Deep fry the codfish balls in enough oil to cover, in batches of 3-4. About 4-5 minutes per batch or until golden brown.
11. Transfer the fried codfish balls to a sheet pan covered with paper towels to drain.
12. Serve warm, either plain, with hot sauce, or with a drizzle of fresh lime juice.

Notes

Salt cod can be found in many Asian and other specialty food stores.

To soak the salt cod, cover it in water and place in the refrigerator for 24-36 hours in advance of making the codfish balls. Change the water 4 to 6 times in that time frame.

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