Traditional Newfoundland Fare

    I just so happen to still be on vacation in Newfoundland. I've been having a wonderful time visiting with friends and family as well as enjoying a bunch of delicious food I never get to have at home. My parents have a bunch of Salt Cod from last years fishing season, and my mother thought it would be nice to cook some up. Since she was taking the time to prepare the fish, I thought I would take this opportunity to share the recipe with all of you.
     Salt Cod is traditionally prepared in a dish called Fish and Brewis. With the leftover fish from this dish, it is very common to create Codfish Cakes. They are super simple to make and are a staple in Newfoundland cooking. I didn't really appreciate these as a child growing up here, but I've definitely warmed up to them somewhere along the way.

Salt Codfish Cakes (Traditional Newfoundland):

Ingredients:
10-12 small potatoes (Peeled and cut into quarters)
1 Lb. of salt Codfish (Soaked overnight to remove salt)
1/2 cup onion
1Tbsp. parsley
salt and pepper to taste (You may not need any salt due to the high salt content already in the fish.)


 Directions:
(1) In a medium sized pot, boil the potatoes until tender.

(2) In a large pot, boil the salt cod.

(3) Once the potatoes and fish are cooked, remove from the water and let cool.
(4) Mash the potatoes and place in a large bowl.
(5) Remove the skin and any bones that may have been forgotten from the fish. Flake the fish apart and add to the bowl.
(6) Add all the remaining ingredients and combine using your hands.

As you add the fish, break it apart into flakes.

(7) Begin forming the cakes similar to making hamburger patties.

These were made about 1 inch thick by 5
inches wide.



(8) Once all the cakes have been formed, fry them in a hot oiled skillet. If you are making them in a large batch, they will freeze well until you are ready to eat them.

* This recipe yields approximately 16-20 codfish cakes.

You may also like:
Pease Soup with Salt Beef and Steamed Dumplings (Traditional Newfoundland)
Fish and Brewis (Traditional Newfoundland)