Enjoy these flavourful saltfish fritters from experienced chef and sustainability champion Anthea Stephenson, from a recipe passed down by her mum Chichi
Prep:15 mins
Makes 14-16
160g dry salted cod300g self-raising flour1 tbsp medium curry powder2 spring onions, trimmed and sliced into ½ cm pieces, plus extra to serve½ large scotch bonnet pepper, deseeded, finely chopped½ each of red, yellow and green peppers, deseeded and pith removed, cut into 1cm cubes (or use 1 whole red or yellow pepper)sunflower oil, for frying
STEP 1Put the salted cod in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat and cook for 8 mins.STEP 2Meanwhile, combine the flour, a pinch of salt, a few twists of black pepper and the curry powder in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and, using a wooden spoon or whisk, stir in 375-390ml water, a quarter at a time, until you have a thick batter that holds its shape when you lift out the whisk. Set aside.STEP 3Drain the cod, then set aside on a plate until cool enough to handle. Once cool, flake the flesh away from the skin and remove any bones. Put in a small bowl – the flakes can be fine, so don’t worry too much about keeping pieces intact. Fold the cod and veg into the batter, ensuring they’re evenly distributed.STEP 4Line a plate with kitchen paper and put the oven on low to keep the fritters warm, if you like. Put a large frying pan over a medium heat and pour in a ½ cm depth of oil. The oil is ready when a little batter dropped in sizzles vigorously.STEP 5Use a small serving spoon to drop 2 tbsp of the saltfish batter into the pan for each fritter, frying them in batches and adding a little more oil each time. Fry for 1 min until little bubbles appear in the batter, then turn carefully using a slotted spoon or spider. Fry for another 1 min before turning again, then turn once more so each side fries for 2 mins in total.STEP 6Lift out and drain on the kitchen paper, then lay another sheet on top, ready for the next batch. Put in the oven to keep warm while you continue frying the remaining batter. Serve warm or at room temperature with a few spring onions scattered over, if you like.
