SALT-COD FRITTERS

Prep time: 30 minutes, plus overnight salting, soaking and cooling Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves 4

This is a great way to use up any tail ends or trimmings from the cod fillet for a starter. You can even mould these with a teaspoon and make little canapé-sized nibbles to have with drinks. This uses a quick method to salt the cod, rather than the traditional preserving process that takes up to a week to reconstitute.

INGREDIENTS

– about 500g cod fillet,

skinned

– 120-150g coarse rock

or sea salt

– 1 bay leaf

– 2 medium-sized floury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks – 300ml milk

– 2 tbsp olive oil

– 50g plain flour

– 3 medium eggs, beaten – 2 garlic cloves, peeled

and crushed

– 1 tbsp chopped

flat-leaf parsley – vegetable or corn oil,

for deep-frying

METHOD

The day before you want to serve, place the cod in a non-reactive bowl and cover with salt. Leave overnight in the fridge. The next day, rinse it then soak in cold water for a couple of hours, changing the water a couple of times.

Put the cod into a pan with the bay leaf, cover with water and simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove the cod from the pan with a slotted spoon and leave to cool on a plate.

Add the potatoes to the pan and cook for 10 minutes or so until tender, then drain. Return them to the pan on a low heat for a minute or so to let any excess water evaporate.

Put the milk and olive oil into a separate pan and bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and slowly mix in the flour with a wooden spoon until smooth. Leave to cool slightly then gradually beat in the eggs until smooth. Mash the potatoes and mix into the milk mixture with the cod, garlic and parsley.

Try not to break up the cod too much; it needs to have a bit of texture. Season to taste and leave to cool for an hour or so.

Preheat about 8cm of oil to 160-180C in a large, thick-bottomed saucepan or deep-fat fryer.

Using a dessert spoon, scoop rough shapes of the cod mixture and drop them into the oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes, turning them with a slotted spoon while cooking until nicely coloured, then drain carefully on some kitchen paper.

Serve immediately with lemon wedges or garlic mayonnaise.