Recipe: Antillean Salt Cod Fritters

1 The day before or in the morning for the evening, desalt the salt cod by changing the water several times.

2 Poach the salt cod as usual (start with cold water and stop cooking as soon as it comes to a gentle boil or shortly after, depending on the type of salt cod used, whether in pieces or whole), drain it and flake it by hand, removing any remaining bones and skin.

3 Finely chop and mince the parsley, peeled and degermmed garlic, chili pepper (remove the seeds which are very hot) and scallions with their green parts, removing the wilted ends.

4 Dissolve the baking powder in milk or water.

5 Put the flour, salt cod, dissolved baking powder, eggs, garlic and lime juice in a food processor and mix while gradually adding a little water. Stop adding water as soon as you have a soft dough. Don't mix too long to avoid making it gluey.

6 Pour the batter into a small bowl, add the parsley, scallions and chili pepper, mix thoroughly with a spatula and let rest for at least one hour, covered, in the refrigerator to develop the flavors (longer if possible).

7 Heat 170°C (340°F) of neutral oil that can handle high temperatures and prepare a wide container covered with paper towels.

8 Using two tablespoons, form balls of batter and drop them one by one into the hot oil. Don't fry too many fritters at once so as not to lower the oil temperature too much and to give them room to turn over without sticking together. Cooking takes about three minutes depending on their size.

9 Remove the cooked fritters with a skimmer and drain them on paper towels.

Enjoy them hot with a ti-punch, a planter's punch, a daiquiri according to taste, or for children and those who don't drink alcohol, an exotic fruit juice cocktail (for example 1/3 orange, 1/3 pineapple, 1/3 guava plus 1 lime juice per liter of cocktail) or a non-alcoholic piña colada. For children who are often wary of chili pepper and salt cod, you can also fry plantain chips: their golden appearance always has great success.