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BRA_Bolinho DeBacalhau_Free_shutterstock_159456725

‘Salgadinho’ roughly translates as a snack or appetiser, but in Brazil they are particularly associated with celebration, and are also eaten as bar food in a similar way to Spanish tapas. Here we share the recipe for one of our favourite Brazilian salgadinhos, the delicious bolinho de bacalhau.

  • Prep: 30 minutes
  • Cook: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Total time: 2 hours
  • Recipe serves: 10

Ingredients

  • 500g dried salt cod
  • 1 small onion, sliced
  • 500 ml (2 cups) cooled mashed potato
  • 2 beaten eggs
  • 4 peppercorns
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
  • Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

  1. Place salt cod in a bowl of cold water to soak and soften. For best results, leave in refrigerator overnight (change water two or three times if possible).
  2. Drain the cod and remove any skin or bones before cutting into small chunks.
  3. Half-fill a saucepan with water and add the peppercorns, bay leaf and onion. Bring to boil, then allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cod and 2 cups of cold water, then return to a simmer for 15 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat and allow to cool before draining the cod, discarding the seasoning and onion. Flake the cod using a fork into a large bowl.
  5. Stir in the mashed potato, eggs and parsley. Let the mixture stand for around half an hour, then form it into small balls.
  6. Deep-fry the balls in batches for around 5 minutes or until golden, either using a deep fryer or in shallow oil in a frying pan (use enough oil to at least partially submerge them), and drain on paper towels.
  7. Serve hot – preferably alongside a cold beer!

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    Lina Fuller - Travel Expert

    Lina's passion for the continent where she was born really took off when she moved to Córdoba (Argentina) to study, spending the holidays travelling between Argentina and her native Colombia.

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    Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

    After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!

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    A globetrotter since her childhood, Alex spent a year studying abroad in Guadalajara and has returned to Latin America countless times since then.

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    Ben fell in love with Latin America on a six month backpacking trip from Colombia to Mexico in 1995. Since then he has explored most of South America, including living in Peru for a year. He is now Head of Sales.

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    Kathryn backpacked across Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru before joining us. She has a degree in Philosophy and French and is a keen netball player.

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