Homemade Portuguese Cod Fritters (Bolinhos de Bacalhau) + Garlic Fried Rice

INGREDIENTS:

COD FRITTERS (makes about 25)

• 2 pieces of soaked salt cod (bacalhau)
• 850 g (about 1.9 lb) potatoes
• 4 eggs
• 1 onion
• 1 dl (about 1/2 cup) olive oil
• 1 bunch of parsley
• Flour (for your hands)
• Salt and pepper
• Oil for frying

GARLIC FRIED RICE

• 800 g (about 4 cups) rice
• 1.25 l (about 5 cups) boiling water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 10 garlic cloves (sliced and minced)
• 80 g (about 5.5 tbsp) butter
• 3 scallion stalks
• 3 eggs
• 2.5 tablespoons soy sauce
• Salt, pepper and parsley to garnish

PREPARATION:

Start by peeling 850 grams of potatoes and boiling them in salted water. While they cook, put 2 pieces of cod in another pot with water and boil for 10 minutes.

When the potatoes are cooked, drain them well and mash them with a fork or a potato ricer. Drain the cod too and let it cool a little, so it’s easier to handle.

Now the cod: remove the skin and bones and shred it very finely. Then, in a bowl, lightly beat 4 eggs and set aside. Chop a bunch of parsley as well.

In a pot, heat 1 dl of olive oil with the chopped onion. Let it cook gently, just until golden. Add the shredded cod and cook slowly for about 5 minutes, so it absorbs the flavor.

Take it off the heat, add the chopped parsley and mix everything together. Add the mashed potato and the beaten eggs and mix very well. This step is important: the mixture must be well combined and firm so the fritters don’t turn out soft. Season with salt and pepper and mix again.

Dust your hands with a little flour, scoop up some of the mixture with a spoon and shape the fritters. I usually shape them by hand, but you can also pass the mixture back and forth between two spoons until you get the classic fritter shape. Fry in very hot oil, on both sides, then place them on a plate lined with paper towel. With this amount, I got about 25 fritters.

Now the rice. In a pot, bring 1.25 liters of water to a boil, add 800 grams of washed rice, cover and wait for it to come back to a boil. Reduce to the lowest heat and cook for 18 to 20 minutes, without lifting the lid. Turn off the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes.

In a pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil, add sliced garlic cloves, let them sauté and set aside. They’ll be used to garnish at the end.

In a large non-stick frying pan, heat 80 grams of butter over medium to medium-high heat. Add minced garlic cloves and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the rice, which should already be cooked and cold, and mix well. Add 2 and a half tablespoons of soy sauce, season with salt and mix everything.

Push the rice to the left side of the pan and add 3 beaten eggs. Let them cook, then mix everything with the rice. Add 3 stalks of fresh scallion cut into pieces, season with pepper and mix again. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with parsley and the sautéed garlic. And it’s ready! Enjoy!