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SALT FISH BALLS
Ingredients:
1 lb. salt cod
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt
1 lb. fresh pumpkin peeled, seeded and cut into half inch cubes, or substituted from firm-fleshed pumpkin
1 to 2 oz. soft fresh crumbs made from white bread, trimmed off crusts and prepared in a blender or finely shredded with a fork
1/2 oz. butter, softened
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil or 1 1/2 oz. lard
Starting a day in advance, place the cod in a glass, enamel or stainless-steel pan or bowl, cover it with cold water, and soak for at least 12 hours, changing the water 3 or 4 times.
Drain the cod, rinse under cold running water, place it in a saucepan, and add enough fresh water to cover the fish by 1 inch. Bring to the boil over a high heat. (Taste the water. If it seems excessively salty, drain, cover the cod with fresh water, and bring to the boil again.) Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, until the fish flakes easily when prodded gently with a fork. Drain thoroughly. Remove and discard any skin and bones with a small knife, and
separate the fish into fine flakes. Set aside.
Drop the pumpkin into enough lightly salted water to cover it completely, and boil briskly for about 20 minutes, until tender. Drain in seive or colander, return the cubes to the pan and slide the pan backwards and forward over a moderate heat for 10 to 15 seconds, until the pumpkin is completely dry.
Puree the pumpkin through a ricer set over a deep bowl, or mash it thoroughly with a fork. Add the softened butter, the cod flakes, eggs and a few grindings of pepper, beating vigorously with a wooden spoon, and continue to beat until the mixture is smooth. Taste and add salt as needed. The
mixture should be thick enough to hold its shape solidly in the spoon. If it is too thin, beat in up to 1 ounce breadcrumbs, a tablespoon or two at a time.
To form each salt fish ball, flour your hands lightly, scoop up about 1 tablespoon of the fish mixture and shape it into a round ball about 1 inch in diameter. Dip the ball in the remaining ounce of crumbs. Place the balls side on greaseproof paper as they are coated. Heat the oil or lard over a ,oderate heat in a large, heavy frying pan until a light haze forms above it. Fry the balls, 5 or 6 at a time, for about 3 to 4 minutes, turning them over with a parlette knife and adjusting the heat so that they brown richly and evenly without burning. Transfer them to kitchen paper to drain as they brown.
Serve the salt fish balls while they are still warm as a first course or as an accompaniment to drinks.
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