A Latin codfish fritter, this flavorful finger food is perfect for gatherings and is completely flavorful and seafood lover approved.
Prep Time 25 minutesminutes
Cook Time 5 minutesminutes
Total Time 30 minutesminutes
Ingredients
1poundof salted pollock(no skin or bones)
5cupsof water
1teaspoonof white vinegar
2cupsof all purpose flour
¼cupof chopped onions
3tablespoonsof chopped parsley
3tablespoonsof chopped cilantro
1tablespoonof dried oregano
¼teaspoonof Bijol or sazon
1red bell pepper(finely chopped)
1tablespoonof homemade sofrito(optional)
1 ½teaspoonsof baking soda
Instructions
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Rinse fish thoroughly before placing into a bowl of water. Refrigerate for 3 hours, then drain water and add fresh water. Repeat 1 more time.
Drain water after the second 3 hour round. Place fish into a pot with 3 cups of water and vinegar. Bring water to a boil, lower heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat and let water cool.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl add in remaining ingredients, except for the water.
Next, using a colander, drain fish into a new bowl, and reserve 1 cup of the salted fish water.
Using your hands, shred fish as finely as desired.
Add the 1 cup of salted water to the flour mixture, and mix together. Next, slowly add an additional cup of fresh water to the mixture. For a thinner and crispier bacalaito, add in up to another cup of fresh water. Mix together to form a pancake like batter.
Next, fold in your fish and let batter sit for ten minutes.
After 10 minutes, to a frying pan add in 1 ½ inches of vegetable oil for frying. Once oil is hot, ladle in ¼ cup of batter, in a long stride to create a long bacalaito.
Fry until edges are lightly brown, and flip over. Cooking for 2-3 minutes per side, or longer for a crispier bacalaito.