Portuguese Bolinhos de Bacalhau with Salt Cod Fritters, Crushed Yukon Potato, Parsley and Smoked Paprika Aioli

De-salt the cod: this is the most important step. After 24-36 hours of soaking with regular water changes, taste a small piece — it should be just lightly salty, not aggressive. If it is still too salty, soak another 6 hours. Drain.

Ingredients

• For the bolinhos:
• 400g (14 oz) salt cod (bacalhau) — soaked in cold water for 24-36 hours in the refrigerator, changing the water 4-5 times
• 500g (1.1 lbs) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 small yellow onion, very finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley, very finely chopped (about 6 tbsp)
• Freshly ground black pepper and grated nutmeg
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Salt — taste before adding; the cod will likely make the mixture salty enough
• For frying:
• Neutral oil for deep frying — 1 litre (about 4 cups) in a deep heavy pot
• For the smoked paprika aioli:
• 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 1 garlic clove, microplaned to a paste
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (pimentón de la Vera)
• 180ml (3/4 cup) neutral oil
• 60ml (1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch of salt
• For serving:
• Lemon wedges and flaky sea salt
• Black olives in oil and crusty Portuguese bread
• Chilled vinho verde or dry sherry

Instructions

1. De-salt the cod: this is the most important step. After 24-36 hours of soaking with regular water changes, taste a small piece — it should be just lightly salty, not aggressive. If it is still too salty, soak another 6 hours. Drain.
2. Poach the cod: place the de-salted cod in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a bare simmer over medium-low heat — never boil, which makes cod tough. Cook 8 minutes until the flesh flakes easily. Drain and cool slightly.
3. Flake the cod: when cool enough to handle, remove all skin and bones. Flake the flesh into very fine threads with your fingers — small enough that no piece is bigger than a grain of rice. This is essential to the bolinho texture.
4. Cook the potatoes: meanwhile, place the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold salted water, bring to a boil and cook 15-18 minutes until very tender. Drain very well — wet potatoes ruin bolinhos. Return to the hot pot for 60 seconds to drive off remaining steam. Pass through a ricer or mash by hand until smooth — never use a food processor, which makes potato glue.
5. Sweat the onion: in a small pan, gently cook the diced onion and garlic in olive oil over low heat for 6 minutes until soft and translucent — never browned.
6. Combine the mixture: in a large bowl, gently fold together the riced potato, flaked cod, sweated onion mixture, parsley, egg yolks, pepper and a generous grating of nutmeg. Taste — add salt only if needed.
7. Whip and fold the whites: in a separate clean bowl, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold them into the cod-potato mixture in two additions, keeping the mass light and aerated. The folding step is what gives Portuguese bolinhos their famously airy interior.
8. Shape with two spoons: heat the oil to 175C (350F). Use two large soup spoons to shape quenelle-style ovals — scoop with one, pass between spoons three times to form a smooth almond shape, and slip into the oil.
9. Deep-fry: fry in batches of 5-6 for 4-5 minutes, turning gently, until deeply golden and crisp on all sides. Maintain oil temperature carefully. Drain on a wire rack, never paper towels (which steam the bottoms soggy).
10. Make the aioli: in a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks, garlic, mustard, lemon juice and smoked paprika. Whisking constantly, drizzle the neutral oil in a very thin stream until thickened, then add the olive oil. Season with salt. Refrigerate.
11. Serve immediately: pile the hot bolinhos on a wide platter lined with brown paper. Sprinkle with flaky salt. Serve with the smoked paprika aioli, lemon wedges, marinated olives and crusty bread. Pour chilled vinho verde and eat with fingers.
12. Bolinhos de Bacalhau (also called pastéis de bacalhau in Lisbon) are the most iconic salgado of Portuguese cuisine and a daily snack across the country, eaten standing at café counters with a small glass of white wine. The dish reflects Portugal's 500-year-old love affair with salt cod — a tradition that began in the 14th century when Portuguese fishermen began salt-curing Atlantic cod off Newfoundland. The country reportedly has 365 traditional bacalhau recipes, one for every day of the year, and the bolinho is the most democratic of them all. The two-spoon quenelle shaping is a defining technique passed down through generations, and the recipe was famously codified by chef Henrique Sá Pessoa, who declared no bolinho is acceptable unless it has a paper-thin crisp shell and a fluffy, almost soufflé-light interior.