"I love the relationship between the Mediterranean and northern Europe: one had the salt, the other had the cod, so all over Europe you have salt cod recipes. In France salt cod is morue, in Italy baccala, in Spain bacalao and in Portugal bacalhau.
There are all kinds of recipes, from stewing the cod with tomatoes and onions or frying it, to poaching it and then puréeing it with milk and olive oil, in the French brandade. In some regions they also add potato to brandade, which I like, because I never need much of an invitation to add the spud. The salt cod really needs soaking over three days, so you'll need to plan ahead; however, you can make up the Scotch eggs the night before you need them, keep them in the fridge, and then all you have to do is fry and serve them. Like real Scotch eggs, they are also good cold.
Every European country has its version of aioli. In parts of Spain it is traditionally thickened with stale bread soaked in water, but if you prefer, you can substitute a whole egg and egg yolk. I wouldn't use an extra virgin olive oil for this, as it is too heavy and might cause the sauce to split. A light olive oil is better."
- Richard Corrigan, A Clatter of Forks and Spoons
Salt Cod 'Scotch Eggs' with Aioli
Serves 4
Ingredients
500g dried salt cod
4 large floury potatoes
50ml light olive oil
24 quail's eggs white wine vinegar (to help peel the quail's eggs)
4 hen's eggs
100g flour
200g stale breadcrumbs vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Aioli:
2 slices of stale bread, crusts removed, soaked in a little water
2 cloves garlic, crushed zest and juice of 1 lemon 200ml olive oil
Method
- Place the cod in a bowl of cold water and leave in the fridge for 3 days, changing the water at least once a day. Remove from the water and pat dry. Cut
into cubes. - Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water, drain and mash.
- Warm the olive oil in a pan, add the salt cod and cook for 2 minutes over a ver low heat. Turn over and cook for another 2 minutes on the other side.
- Add the mashed potato to the pan. Flake the fish with the back of a fork. It will fall apart and the potato will soak up the oil, so you end up with a thick paste. Now set aside to cool.
- Bring a large pan of water to the boil, lower in the quail's eggs and cook for about 3 minutes - they should be just soft. Remove from the boiling water and put into a bowl of white wine vinegar, which will soften the shell and should make them easier to peel. Leave to cool. Once they are cool, peel immediately - they won't all be perfect, but hopefully you will end up with 12 good ones and you can eat the rest with a bit of salt.
- Take a little of the salt cod mixture at a time in the palm of your hand, make a dent in the centre, put in a quail's egg, close up your hand so that you cover the egg with the rest of the mixture, and roll it in your hands into an egg shape.
- Lay on a plate or tray lined with clingfilm or parchment paper and put in the fridge for an hour to firm up.
- Meanwhile, make the aioli. Squeeze the water from the bread and put it into a food processor with the garlic, a good pinch of salt and the lemon zest and juice. Blend together and then gradually add the oil a little at a time, as if making mayonnaise. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Keep in the fridge while you
- Beat the hen's eggs in a shallow bowl, and have the flour and breadcrumbs in similar separate bowls. Dip each 'Scotch egg' first in the flour, then into the egg and then into the breadcrumbs.
- Preheat the vegetable oil to 175°C in a deep-fat fryer or large pan filled no more than one-third full. Lower in the Scotch eggs and fry for about 2 minutes until golden brown all over.
- Drain briefly on kitchen paper and serve with the aioli.