Salt Cod Fish Cakes Recipes

CAPTAIN DUARTE'S SALT COD CAKES

Steps:

• Place the salt cod into a bowl and cover with cold water. Refrigerate for 8 hours. Pour off the water and replace with fresh water every 2 hours. After the fish has soaked for 8 hours, rinse in cold water, and cut into 3-inch sections.
• Place the cod and potatoes into a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender and the cod flakes easily with a fork, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
• Place the potatoes and cod into a mixing bowl. Season with the seafood seasoning, pepper, and parsley; roughly mash with a potato masher. Stir in the eggs and onion until evenly combined. There should still be pieces of cod and potato in the mixture. Form into golf ball-sized pieces, and roll in the flour. Press between your palms to flatten slightly.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the cod cakes in batches until golden and crispy on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

CODFISH CAKES USING SALT COD

Steps:

• Soak the fish in cold water for at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Change the water at least 3 times during the soaking.
• Remove the fish from the water and rinse well.
• Place it in a saucepan filled with fresh cold water and set it over medium-high heat.
• Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
• Drain the fish and let stand until cool enough to handle.
• Combine the breadcrumbs and milk in a small bowl and let soak.
• Using a fork, flake the fish, removing any bones, into a large bowl.
• Add the bread crumb mixture, the potatoes, butter, pepper, and hot pepper sauce.
• Mix until well combined.
• Form the mixture into 2 1/2-inch cakes.
• Heat half the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Cook until the cakes are browned on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.

TRADITIONAL NEWFOUNDLAND SALT COD FISH CAKES (MOM-IN-LAW'S RECIPE)

Steps:

• Soak salt fish pieces for 12 to 24 hours in a large bowl of cold water with the fish fully submerged, and place in the refrigerator (draining and changing water once or twice during that time. See Notes below).
• In a large pot of fresh water, boil pieces of salt cod for 15 to 20 minutes (there should be an inch or two of water above the salt cod, basically ensuring that it is fully submerged and covered by the water). Drain.Note: As you are cooking the salt cod, reduce the heat, if necessary, while still maintaining a boil.
• Once salt fish is cool enough to handle, remove skin and all bones (and discard), shred fish with your hands (checking again for bones and discarding) and set the fish aside in a bowl.
• Meanwhile, boil potatoes in another pot of lightly salted water until tender (there should be an inch or two of water above the potatoes, basically ensuring that they are fully submerged and covered by the water). Drain and let cool slightly. Roughly mash potatoes in the pot.Note: As you are cooking the potatoes, reduce the heat, if necessary, while still maintaining a boil.
• To pot of mashed potatoes, add onion, savoury, black pepper, salt fish and about 1 heaping tablespoon of flour. Stir to combine everything, but don't overmix.
• Using a round ice-cream scoop, form salt fish cakes (the size I made were about 60 to 65 grams each or about 2 ounces each). Pat down to form a patty. Place remaining flour in a small bowl. One at a time, lightly dredge fish cakes in flour, shaking off excess.
• Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit to keep fish cakes warm (as you will be working in batches).
• To cook fish cakes, heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of vegetable or canola oil in a 12-inch cast-iron pan over medium heat.Note: Cook fish cakes are cooked in batches, about 4 to 5 fish cakes per batch.
• Place about 4 to 5 fish cakes in the pan. Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes on one side.
• Flip fish cakes to the other side and continue to cook for another 4 to 5 minutes or until the outside is golden brown and crispy. Transfer fish cakes to a baking sheet and place into your preheated oven to keep warm while you are finishing your batches.
• Repeat process to cook remaining fish cakes.Note: Monitor the temperature as you are cooking the fish cakes so that they don't burn. The skillet tends to get hotter as you are cooking your batches.
• Serve with mustard pickles and a drizzle of molasses (optional). Enjoy!

COD FISH CAKES

Steps:

• Soak the salt cod in cold water. Salt cod needs a long soaking to remove the preserving salt, so start at least 1 day in advance. First, wash off excess salt under cold, running water. Place fish in a bowl, or crock, of cold water and refrigerate, changing the water several times. Soak until the fish feels soft and almost fresh, this will take a good 24 hours.
• Poach the salt cod. In a 2-quart pan, add onion, bay leaf, peppercorns, and water and bring to a simmer. After 5 minutes, add the drained soaked codfish and enough water to cover the fish. Bring to a simmer. When it comes to a simmer, cover immediately, and remove pan from heat (salt cod toughens if simmered more than a few seconds). Let stand for 10 minutes or until you are ready to use it.
• Drain the fish and flake it into a bowl. In a separate bowl, mash the potatoes. Using your hands or a wooden fork, mix the mashed potatoes in with flaked cod. The portions are up to you, more potato than fish is usually the norm. Suggested seasonings to be added at this point are chopped onion, chopped parsley, pepper, etc. In a cup, beat eggs with a pinch of salt. Beat 3/4 of eggs into the fish and potato mixture. Add more egg by drops if mixture is very stiff. Add a little cornmeal if the mixture is too wet. Let cool 20 minutes for easy forming.
• In a frying pan, heat about 1/2-inch of butter or bacon grease. Shape cod mixture into small patties, being sure to flatten out the centers. Just before placing in the frying pan, coat patties with cornmeal. Fry 2 to 3 minutes on each side until browned. Remove to a tray lined with paper towels. Keep warm in 200 degree F oven while frying the remaining.

SALT COD FISH CAKES

Steps:

• Soak cod in a large bowl with cold water to cover by 2 inches, chilled, changing water 3 times a day, 1 to 3 days (see cooks' note, below).
• Drain cod and transfer to a 3- to 4-quart pot with fresh water to cover by 2 inches. Bring just to a simmer and remove from heat. (Cod should just flake; do not boil, or it will become tough.) Drain in a colander.
• Cook onion in 1/2 tablespoon butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Peel potatoes and parsnip. Halve parsnip lengthwise and remove core if tough. Cut potatoes and parsnip into 1-inch pieces and steam together in a steamer over boiling water in a large pot, covered, until tender, 18 to 20 minutes. 3Add to cooked onions and coarsely mash, then cool slightly. Flake cod and stir into potato mixture along with salt to taste and pepper. Stir in egg until just combined.
• Put bread crumbs in a shallow baking dish.
• Form rounded 1/4-cup scoops of cod mixture into 12 (3-inch-diameter) cakes and transfer to a sheet of wax paper. Gently dredge fish cakes in bread crumbs to coat and transfer to a wax-paper-lined tray. Chill, covered with plastic wrap, at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 200°F.
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil in 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides. Cook 4 fish cakes, turning over once, until golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes total.
• Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and keep warm in middle of oven. Wipe skillet clean and cook remaining fish cakes in 2 batches, adding 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil per additional batch.

BACALHAU - PORTUGUESE CODFISH CAKES

Steps:

• Rinse the cod several times in cold water. Place it in a large stainless steel bowl and soak for 18-24 hours in plenty of cold water.
• Change the water several times.
• Drain the cod and place it in a saucepan and just cover it with fresh water.
• Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
• Drain, debone, and flake the cod.
• In a large bowl, beat together the olive oil and bread crumbs.
• Mix very well and then add the cod and the remaining ingredients, except the eggs.
• Mix until well blended and then form into 6 patties, 1/2" by 3 1/2".
• Pan fry in a little olive oil until golden brown on both sides.
• Keep warm in the oven while you poach the eggs.
• Serve each fish cake topped with a poached egg.

COD FISH CAKES

Steps:

• Place the potatoes in a large pot of water, bring the water to a boil. Let the potatoes cook until they are almost tender.
• Add the fish to the pot and let the fish and potatoes cook until they are both soft. Drain well and transfer the potatoes and fish to a large mixing bowl.
• Add butter, onion, parsley, and egg to the bowl; mash the mixture together. Mold the mixture into patties.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Fry the patties on both sides until golden brown. Drain on paper towels before serving.

SALT COD AND POTATO CAKES

Steps:

• While potatoes are still hot, mash until smooth. Stir in the milk. Set aside. Drain salt cod, place in a saucepan and cover with water. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Drain. Finely chop and add it to the potatoes.
• Place bacon in a small skillet and cook until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and discard. Add onion to the bacon fat. Cook over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add onions to the potato mixture. Stir in garlic, thyme and pepper.
• Form the mixture into 12 cakes, each about 1/2 inch thick. Place bread crumbs on a plate. Coat fish cakes with bread crumbs. Coat a large nonstick skillet lightly with oil. Heat over medium heat until hot. Add as many fish cakes as will fit comfortably in pan. Cook until nicely browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.