Salted Cod Fish Cakes ( Pasteis de Bacalhau)

                      

Salted cod is the most popular fish used in Portuguese cuisine, but especially in Portugal Continental where Portuguese fisherman went far to fish for the famous Cod as far away as the coast of Newfoundland
for the last several hundred years. Salted Cod became a staple to the Portuguese in the Winter months and of course during religious catholic days where abstinence from meat dishes was a must.
There are many Salted Cod dishes but I will start with Pasteis de Bacalhau one of my husbands favorite.
                                         
                                         

                                 

Here's how I make mine.

600g of salted cod (with no bones)
600 g of white or Yukon potatoes
3 large eggs
1 large onion chopped fine
3 garlic cloves minced
3 garlic cloves smashed  (simmer with cod)
1 tsp of hot red pepper (malagueta) this is optional
3 tbsp of chopped fresh parsley
2 fresh bay leaves  or dry (simmer with the cod)
Sea salt to taste
oil for the skillet to fry the little fish cake.

Procedure:
The day before wash the cod very well  by changing the water 3 times. Add the Cod to a ceramic bowl and cover it with fresh water and plastic wrap and refrigerate till the next day, just remember to change the water a couple of times to remove the salt. The whole Idea here is to reconstitute the fish and remove most of the salt.
                                 

The next day wash the cod again, add to a pan with fresh water and the smashed cloves of garlic, and couple bay leaves and let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon into a bowl.  To the water that cooked the cod add the potatoes and boil till tender, once cooked take them of the water and mash them with a potato masher and let them get cooled.
 While the potatoes and the cod are cooling, chop the onion fine and the garlic, add the onions and garlic to the hot skillet with couple tbsp of olive oil till soft, add to the cooked onion the cooled cooked Cod and let cook another 5 to 10 minutes as this helps to brake the cod into smaller pieces keep stirring till well mixed and cod has broken down to very small pieces, add this mixture to a larger bowl and also add the mashed potatoes, mix all very well, now start mixing one egg at the time until well incorporated, add the parsley and hot pepper, once all mixed put his mixture in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or even till next day  to get it cold.

                                                   

Once the mixture is cold take 2 tablespoons and shape the cod cake as it shows in the picture and fry
them in hot oil for a couple of minutes each side making sure to watch as they can burn very quickly, at this time sometimes I just make enough for the occasion, the rest I shape in to little cakes and freeze for the next time in a plastic container, and fry them still frozen. I  always try to make extras to have them on hand when ever I want an appetizer or a quick meal.

                                     

I normally serve these with veggies and tomato rice (arroz de tomate) which I will give the recipe later.
In the Summer I serve them cold with salad or simply I serve them as an appetizer.