The saithe is often overlooked when it comes to codfish mainly because of the greyish colour of its raw flesh. But when cooked, the flesh of the saithe turns a clear white. The saithe has a rich fishy flavour making it ideal for dishes with strong and full flavours – such as croquettes. Saithe is also often cheaper than cod and haddock and an excellent choice if you want a dish with a rich flavour of fish.
In this recipe, the croquettes are served with a rutabaga dip sauce. The rutabaga is also called swede or kohlrabi. This root vegetable is common in Faroese cuisine and is known in Faroese as Rót. The rutabaga has a sweet and slightly piquant taste that complements perfectly the full flavours of the fried croquettes. Other root vegetables like carrots or turnips also work well in this recipe.
- Author : Gutti Winther
- Category : Tapas, appetizer, snack
- Cuisine : Nordic
- Yield : 12-15 croquettes
- Croquettes:
- Saithe fillets (400 gr.)
- 4 medium-sized potatoes
- 1 large or 2 small shallots, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 2 stalks rosemary, chopped
- 150 gr. Manchego cheese (You can also use cheddar or any other hard fatty cheese of your choice)
- 1 organic lemon (juice and zest)
- 50 gr. melted butter
- Salt
- 150 gr. flour
- 6 egg whites
- 300 gr. panko or any other kind of breadcrumbs
- Oil for deep frying
- Dip sauce:
- Half a rutabaga
- 2 shallots, sliced
- 1 clove garlic, sliced
- 2 potatoes
- Freshly grated horseradish
- 25 gr. butter
- Garnish:
- Sliced red onion, sliced spring onions and chopped chives
- Croquettes:
- Boil the potatoes until tender.
- Heat the frying oil to 200ºC in a pot or a deep fryer.
- Cut the saithe fillets into large chunks about 2 cm in size. The chunks will be visible inside the croquettes.
- Dice the cheese into pieces, which will become lumps of melted cheese inside the fried croquettes.
- Mash the boiled potatoes in a large bowl and add the chunks of saithe and the diced cheese. Add the shallots, garlic, rosemary, melted butter and a pinch of salt. Grate the zest of one lemon and add it together with the juice of half the lemon to the mixture, mixing well. Using a spoon, form the mixture into balls the size of a golf balls.
- Coat the croquettes in flour, egg white and panko or breadcrumbs: firstly rolling them in flour, then in the egg white and finally coating them in breadcrumbs.
- Fry the croquettes in oil for about 6-8 minutes until they have a golden crispy crust. The crust will protect the saithe chunks and cheese while frying in the scorching oil, gently poaching the saithe and keeping the inside of the croquettes moist and juicy.
- Transfer the croquettes to paper to drain off the excess oil before serving
- Rutabaga dip:
- Make the dip sauce before you fry the croquettes.
- Sauté the shallots and garlic in butter for a couple of minutes.
- Cut the rutabaga and potatoes into chunks. The potatoes will give the puree extra texture and firmness.
- Add the rutabaga and potatoes to the shallots and garlic.
- Cover with water, and boil, covered, until the rutabaga and potatoes are tender.
- Pour the boiled rutabaga, potatoes, onion, garlic and a little bit of the cooking water into a food processor and blend it into a puree. If the puree is too thick, add a little more of the cooking water.
- Season with grated horseradish and salt. Be careful not to over-season with the strong horseradish, starting with a tablespoon.
- Serve the croquettes on large plate or tray and garnish with slices of spring onion and red onion and chopped chives, with the rutabaga dip sauce in a bowl on the side.
- This dish is perfect as a tapas, appetizer or snack.
