Puerto Rican Codfish Fritters (Bacalaítos)

Ingredients

• 1 lb salted cod (bacalao) (salted cod or pollock (abadejo), washed and shredded)
• 2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup filtered water
• 1 cup fish boiling water (reserved from boiling the bacalao)
• 0.5 onion (finely chopped)
• 0.5 red bell pepper (finely chopped)
• 0.5 cubanelle pepper (finely chopped)
• 2 garlic (cloves, minced or mashed)
• 0.5 tsp paprika
• 0.5 tsp dried oregano
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• cilantro and recao (chopped, to taste)
• 0.25 tsp baking powder (optional, for extra crispiness)
• frying oil (enough for shallow or deep frying)

Steps

1. 1

   Wash the fish to remove all the salt. Make sure to rinse it well to remove excess preservatives.

2. 2

   Place the fish in a pot with water and let it boil for about 15 minutes.

3. 3

   Remove the fish from the water, but do not discard it; reserve at least one cup of the cooking water. Shred the fish using your hands or a fork.

4. 4

   In a large bowl, mix the 2 cups of flour with the 2 cups of water (1 cup filtered and 1 cup of the fish boiling water).

5. 5

   Add the onion, red bell pepper, cubanelle pepper, garlic, cilantro, recao, paprika, oregano, and black pepper to the mixture.

6. 6

   Optionally, add a pinch of baking powder to ensure they turn out extra crispy.

7. 7

   Incorporate the shredded codfish into the mixture. Adjust the amount of water if necessary until you reach the desired consistency: neither too runny nor too thick.

8. 8

   In a skillet, heat the frying oil until it reaches 350° Fahrenheit (175° Celsius).

9. 9

   Using a ladle, pour a portion of the mixture into the hot oil.

10. 10

    Fry for about 2-4 minutes on each side until they are golden brown and crispy.

Notes

The author notes that 'pollock' (abadejo) is commonly sold as bacalao in supermarkets and works perfectly for this recipe. Using the water used to boil the fish adds extra flavor to the batter. For the best texture, ensure the oil is at the correct temperature before frying.

Nutrition per serving

• Puerto Rican
• Appetizer
• Snack
• Seafood
• Fried
• Street Food
• Traditional