Moore's New England Codfish Cakes

Try these with my baked bean recipe. The combination of sweet & salt is to die for. Complete the meal with steamed brown bread and cole slaw. (I'm thinking these might be a great appetizer by adding stiffly beaten egg whites, shaping into small balls & briefly deep frying. Stay tuned.)

• Ready In: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 16 cakes

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

Directions

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-freshened”. Can be refrigerated at this point.
8. Shape the mixture into cakes about 2” in diameter & about ½” 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.