The key to finding great bacalao, also known as salt cod or salted codfish, is the thickness of the fish; if the flesh is too thin, the salt will overwhelm it. It should be light in color, not gray, and you don’t want it to be too pungent. Take the time to thoroughly desalt the bacalao by rinsing and soaking it. While time-consuming, it’s a necessary and very easy step. If you are feeling adventurous, you can make the bacalao yourself by packing fresh cod in kosher salt and leaving it covered to cure for two to three days. Remove the cod from the salt and then follow the steps in the salt cod fritter recipe below.

　　This recipe was excerpted from 'Seafood Simple' by Eric Ripert. Buy the full book on Amazon.

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What you’ll need

　　Chevron

　　Chevron

　　Bacalao (Salted Cod)

　　$28 At Amazon

　　Deep Fry / Candy Thermometer

　　$37 $24 At Amazon

　　Fine Sea Salt (Pack of 2)

　　$15 At Amazon

　　All-Purpose Flour

　　$4 At Amazon

　　Baking Powder

　　$12 At Amazon

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4

　　1 lb. salt cod

　　2 cups all-purpose flour

　　2 Tbsp. baking powder

　　1 tsp. fine sea salt

　　3 large eggs

　　2 scallions, finely chopped

　　1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped

　　Canola oil for deep-frying

　　

Step 1

Rinse the salt cod thoroughly and place it in a bowl of water. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 3 hours. Drain the water, cover the fish with fresh water, and soak for another 3 hours.

　　

Step 2

After the second soak, drain the water and put the salt cod in a medium pot. Cover with water, bring to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Transfer the fish to a bowl to cool. Break the fish into bite-sized pieces, removing any bones, and set aside.

　　

Step 4

To make the batter, in a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and sea salt. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, then whisk in ¾ cup water. Gently combine the egg mixture with the flour.

　　

Step 5

Fold the cod, scallions, and jalapeño into the batter; the mixture should be thick and lumpy.

　　

Step 6

To set up a fryer, pour about 3 inches of canola oil into a deep straight-sided pot or Dutch oven, filling it less than halfway. Clip a deep-fry / candy thermometer to the side of the pot and preheat the oil to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with paper towels.

　　

Step 7

Working quickly, use a large spoon to scoop 1-tablespoon portions of the cod mixture and gently place in the hot oil, starting with a total of 8 fritters. The batter will sink at first and then float to the surface. Fry until golden brown, turning the fritters once, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon or a sieve and transfer to the paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve immediately.

　　Excerpted from Seafood Simple, copyright © 2023 by Eric Ripert. Used by permission of Random House an imprint and division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Buy the full book from Amazon or Random House.