SpicyAccras de morue
Salt cod fritters
Accras de morue: Martinique and Guadeloupe salt-cod fritters with chive, thyme and hot pepper
No Christmas, christening or Sunday apéritif in Martinique or Guadeloupe starts without a bowl of accras de morue, the light, puffy salt-cod fritters sold hot from paper cones at Fort-de-France's markets. Desalted cod is flaked into a batter scented with chive, parsley, thyme, garlic and a little fiery piment, then dropped by the spoonful into hot oil. A vegetable version is already on the site; this is the classic with fish. It contains fish and wheat. The usual mistake is not soaking the cod long enough, which makes the accras painfully salty: soak it in the fridge for 24 hours, changing the water three or four times. They are done when puffed, deep golden all over and cooked through, with the fish piping hot. Chef's tip: let the batter rest for an hour so it thickens and the fritters puff into airy rounds.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Serves
- 6
- Per serving
- 250 kcal
Ingredients
- 9 oz salt cod
- 1 bay leaf
- 7 oz plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup cold water
- 2 cloves garliccrushed
- 4 tbsp chives or spring onionsfinely chopped
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsleychopped
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- ¼ scotch bonnet chilliseeded, very finely chopped
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 litre sunflower oil for frying
- 1 limein wedges
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Rinse 9 oz salt cod and soak it in plenty of cold water in the fridge for 24 hours, changing the water 3–4 times. Taste a flake: it should be pleasantly seasoned, not salty.
Step 2: Put the cod in a pan with 1 bay leaf, cover with fresh water and simmer for 10 minutes, until it flakes easily. Drain, cool and flake finely, removing all skin and bones.
10 minStep 3: Whisk 7 oz plain flour, 2 tsp baking powder and 1 cup cold water into a thick, smooth batter.
Step 4: Stir in the cod, 2 cloves garlic, 4 tbsp chives or spring onions, 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, ¼ scotch bonnet chilli and ¼ tsp black pepper. Wash your hands after handling the chilli. Cover and rest in the fridge for 1 hour; don't add salt until you taste the batter.
Step 5: Heat 1 litre sunflower oil for frying in a deep pan to 350°F (a drop of batter sizzles and rises at once). Fill the pan no more than a third full.
8 minStep 6: Drop teaspoons of batter into the oil, 8–10 at a time, and fry for 3–4 minutes, turning, until puffed and deep golden all over. Drain on kitchen paper.
12 minStep 7: Serve hot with 1 lime wedges.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 250 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 27 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does accras de morue take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of baking powder?
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar per 1 tsp.
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