Moore's New England Codfish Cakes

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• 1 lb salt cod fish
• 2 lbs potatoes (a couple of oz more is fine)
• 2 eggs, well beaten with
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• butter or bacon fat

Recipe

• 1 cover the cod with cold water for 1 to 2 hours or until the cod can be torn. change the water once or twice if the water gets excessively salty—taste. note: do not over freshen. i think salt cod must be less salty than in days of yore.
• 2 pare the potatoes but leave whole.
• 3 place the potatoes & cod in a saucepan just large enough to hold tearing the cod into pieces to fit if necessary. cover & simmer slowly until the potatoes are tender.
• 4 drain & separate the cod & potatoes.
• 5 rice or mash the potatoes.
• 6 place the cod in the center of a clean kitchen towel. roll up, & shred the cod by rubbing the cod with your fingers through the towel. (this method allows you to feel any bones that might be lurking in the fish.).
• 7 mix together the cod & potatoes then mix in the egg & pepper mixture. taste for salt, add salt if the cod was “over-freshenedâ€?. can be refrigerated at this point.
• 8 shape the mixture into cakes about 2â€? in diameter & about ½â€? thick.
• 9 fry in bacon fat or butter, in a heavy skillet, over medium heat until golden on each side—about 2 or 3 minutes a side.