Bacalaítos, also known as codfish fritters, are a staple dish in many Caribbean cuisines, including Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Cuban cuisine. These delicious fritters are made from a combination of salted codfish, flour, and various seasonings, then deep-fried until golden brown. They are a popular appetizer or side dish, and can also be enjoyed as a main course with a side of rice and beans.
This article features two recipes for bacalaítos: a traditional Puerto Rican recipe and a Dominican-style recipe. The Puerto Rican recipe uses a combination of sofrito, a flavorful mixture of aromatic vegetables and herbs, and codfish that has been soaked overnight to remove excess salt. The Dominican recipe uses a simpler batter made with flour, baking powder, and eggs, and the codfish is typically not soaked overnight. Both recipes result in crispy, flavorful fritters that are sure to be a hit at your next gathering.
BACALAíTOS - FRIED CODFISH FRITTERS
Cod Fritters The Puerto Rican Way Bacalaítos are an immensely popular staple in Puerto Rico. All over the island you'll find these cod fritters sold from small roadside kiosks, and any street fair there will usually feature several stands of crispy Bacalaítos.With the help of GOYA® Adobo All-Purpose Seasoning and some garlic, our Bacalaítos recipe yields traditional Puerto Rican cod fritters, prepared as they have been for generations.Origin: Puerto Rico
Time 45m
Yield 30
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Step 1 Soak fish in cold water for three hours or overnight in refrigerator. Step 2 Drain; rinse with cold water several times. Step 3 In a saucepan, cover codfish with water, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Step 4 Cool, remove skin and bones. Shred the fish. In bowl, make a batter by whisking together the flour, baking powder, Adobo and water. When smooth, mix in the garlic, cilantro and shredded fish. Step 5 In a skillet, heat 1⁄4 inch of oil on medium heat. Drop the batter by spoonful into hot oil and cook until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.
BACALAITOS | CODFISH FRITTERS
A Latin codfish fritter, this flavorful finger food is perfect for gatherings and is completely flavorful and seafood lover approved.
Provided by Neyssa
Categories Appetizer
Time 30m
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- 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 1/2 inches of vegetable oil for frying. Once oil is hot, ladle in 1/4 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.
BACALAITOS - FRIED CODFISH FRITTERS
This makes a very tasty appetizer! Chill overnight, it makes for a less salty fish. These are served all over Miami and they are so good! Originally on the Goya Foods web site.
Provided by Manami
Categories Puerto Rican
Time 45m
Yield 30 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Soak codfish in cold water overnight in the refrigerator.(Change the water at least 3 times ~ have also heard that it is good when soaked in milk).
- Drain, rinse with cold water several times.
- In a saucepan, cover codfish with water, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Cool, remove skin and bones.
- Shred the fish.
- In a bowl make a batter by whisking together the flour, baking powder, adobo and water.
- When smooth, mix in garlic, cilantro and shredded fish.
- Check for seasoning, if necessary add some more pepper or the adobo with pepper.
- In a skillet, heat 1/4" of oil on medium heat.
- Drop the batter by spoonsful into hot oil and cook until golden brown.
- Drain on paper towel.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 74.6, Fat 0.4, SaturatedFat 0.1, Cholesterol 23, Sodium 1089.2, Carbohydrate 6.5, Fiber 0.2, Protein 10.4
BACALAITOS (CODFISH FRITTERS)
Steps:
- Drain salted cod. Boil fish in 3 cups of the water and the milk until tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove cooked fish from liquid, shred and set aside to cool. Make a batter with the flour, baking powder and remaining water. Add cod, onions, peppers, garlic and cilantro. Deep fry spoonfuls of the batter in oil heated to 350 degrees until golden.
BACALAíTOS
The savory salt cod fritters called bacalaítos are one of Puerto Rico's most popular street food specialties. Though also available at restaurants and regularly made at home, the best versions of the savory and crispy pancake-sized disks are best eaten hot out of the fryer from one of the hundreds of road and beachside food shacks and kiosks found throughout the island. With a crisp exterior, soft and fluffy inside and an explosion of salty savory flavor in every bite, they're the perfect treat after a long day at the beach. Bacalaítos are easy to make, but do require a little patience and planning because the salt cod needs at least 8 hours of soaking and a quick 20-minute boil before it's ready to be used. I know it might be tempting to try to skip the soak, but doing so will leave you with an unpalatably salty dish. Fortunately, once the cod is ready, it only takes about 15 or so minutes before you'll be able to taste that first crispy bite.
Provided by Alejandra Ramos
Categories side-dish
Time 8h50m
Yield About 12 bacalaítos
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Prepare the fish: Rinse the salt cod under cold running water for 1 minute to remove any loose salt, then place in a large bowl or container and submerge completely in cold water. Cover and let soak in the refrigerator 8 hours or overnight.
- After soaking, drain, rinse again under cold running water then place in a large pot and cover with water. Boil for 20 minutes. Drain, place in a large mixing bowl and use two forks to shred the fish.
- Add the garlic, onions, red peppers, cilantro, oregano, cumin and 1 teaspoon pepper. Toss until evenly combined. Taste the mixture and adjust seasoning with salt if needed (as salt cod brands vary, some may retain more salt after soaking than others; be sure to taste until the mixture is pleasantly salty).
- Pour 1 inch of oil into a heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven and set over high heat until the oil shimmers and a deep-fry thermometer reaches 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or paper towels and top with a wire cooling rack if desired.
- While the oil heats, add the flour and baking powder to the cod mixture and stir until evenly combined. Add water, about 1/2 cup at a time, until the batter resembles a pancake batter (usually about 1 1/2 to 2 cups total).
- Working in batches, spoon about 1/3 cup batter into the hot oil, spreading it out as you pour to create a 3- to 4-inch round disk. Repeat with 1 to 2 more scoops of batter per batch, leaving about 2 inches between each bacalaíto. Fry 2 minutes on one side, then use tongs to turn and fry until the fritters are cooked through and golden, about 1 minute more. Use tongs to transfer the bacalaítos to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with rest of batter, adding more oil as needed. Serve immediately.
BACALAITOS (COD FRITTERS)
One of Puerto Rico's signature dishes. It can be main, side dish or just an appetizer. The Cod is finely chopped, therefore, the flavor is not so strong. Very high in calories but worth having at least two once a year!
Provided by l0ve2c00k
Categories Puerto Rican
Time 40m
Yield 12 bacalaitos
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Cut the cod fish in small chunks, place in a pot, cover with water and boil on high for 15 minutes.
- Drain, debone, wash and shred.
- In a bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder.
- Make a little well in the center. Pour the water slowly and mix to make a thick like sauce.
- Add the pepper and sazón and stir well.
- In a mortar, crush the garlic and culantro leaves. Add to the mix.
- Add the shredded bacalao and mix well.
- In a frying pan, pre-heat the vegetable oil.
- Fry the bacalaitos on high heat by dropping big spoonfuls in hot oil.
- Turn as needed.
- Bacalaitos are done when they are golden.
- Drain in paper towels.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 117, Fat 9.2, SaturatedFat 1.2, Cholesterol 4.1, Sodium 85.3, Carbohydrate 6.1, Fiber 0.2, Protein 2.5
Tips:
- Use fresh codfish for the best flavor.
- Soak the codfish in water for at least 30 minutes before cooking to remove the salt.
- Shred the codfish into small pieces for even cooking.
- Add your favorite seasonings to the batter for extra flavor.
- Fry the bacalaitos in hot oil until they are golden brown and crispy.
- Serve the bacalaitos with your favorite dipping sauce.
Conclusion:
Bacalaitos are a delicious and easy-to-make appetizer or snack. They are perfect for parties or potlucks. With a few simple ingredients and a little bit of time, you can enjoy these tasty fritters in no time. So next time you are looking for a quick and easy recipe, give bacalaitos a try. You won't be disappointed!
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