Codfish Balls
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Wash the fish in cold water and break into small pieces.
Wash and pare the potatoes, and cut into fair-sized pieces.
Cook fish and potatoes together in boiling water until the potatoes are soft.
Drain and shape over the fire until dry.
Make the mixture
Mash with a fork and add the beaten egg, butter, pepper, and more salt if needed.
Beat until light.
Fry and serve
Take up the mixture by spoons full, mold slightly, and slip them into the hot fat.
Fry until brown, and drain on soft paper.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 2 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures. See the original page.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Salted cod (in the method)
- Provides the main flavour and the flaked, savoury body of the balls.
- Potatoes (in the method)
- Starch that binds the mixture and gives it a soft, mashable texture.
- Egg (in the method)
- Binds the mashed mixture together and helps it hold its shape when fried.
- Butter (in the method)
- Adds richness and moisture to the mashed mixture.
The step that matters
Drain and shape over the fire until dry. Excess water left in the fish and potatoes makes the mixture soft and loose, so the balls can break apart or absorb too much oil while frying. Drying them well helps them hold their shape and crisp.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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