Fast and feast

Cod and cake

Jennifer Paterson

Advent is lurking round the corner and Christmas Eve is getting depressingly near, egged on by those in Oxford Street with their premature caverns for the kid- dies and dolled up Santa Clauses at the ready to extort and blackmail the bewil- dered parents into vast spending sprees for dangerous toys and sickening little dolls. So I return with pleasure to my beloved salt cod which I consider a suitable and delicious dish in all its forms for both fasting and feasting.

This is another receipt from my fond and faithful friend John Cobb in Cacilhas, Portugal.

Bolinhos de bacalhau

(Salt codfish Balls) 1 lb Salt Cod

3/4 lb floury potatoes

1 largish onion 8 eggs liqueur glass of port or madeira or sherry salt, pepper and nutmeg parsley

Soak the salt cod as usual for 24 to 36 hours in plenty of cold water with frequent changes of the water. Cook the potatoes in their skins, peel them then puree through a mouli. Boil the soaked fish until tender (about 20 to 25 minutes). Drain well, remove all skin and bones. Place the flaked fish in a stout cloth and rub it until it is well shredded. Chop the onion and a good bunch of parsley finely. Put the fish, onion, parsley, and pureed potatoes into a large mixing bowl, pour in the wine, beat all together and season with fresh ground black pepper and salt. Break in the eggs one by one until the correct consistency is achieved to form little fish balls, not too sloppy, you may need only seven eggs, depending on their size and the quality of the potatoes. Using two soup spoons, shape the bolinhos into smallish oval fish cakes. Deep-fry in oil until really golden and crisping on the outside. Garnish with parsley and serve with plain boiled rice and a tomato salad. They also can be used as canapes with drinks where they make a welcome and excellent change.

`When really well made, even the true Portuguese Brit, normally shuddering at the thought of bacalhau, never hestitates to make a complete beast of him or herself.' Another receipt for this fish is a sort of piperade with no peppers, I love it.

Bacalhau a bras 1 lb salt cod

1 lb potatoes 3 medium onions 1 fat clove of garlic 6 eggs 3 tablespoons olive oil sunflower oil black olives and parsley

Prepare the fish in the usual way, soaking, boiling and shredding as above. Peel the potatoes then cut into very fine strips with the use of a mandoline or food processor if you have them, otherwise your own good knife. Chop the onions and garlic finely. Put enough sunflower oil into a frying pan to cook the potatoes. Sauté until just turning golden. Meanwhile, in another pan, simmer the onions and garlic in the olive oil until they become transparent, stir in the fish until it is thoroughly impre- gnated with the oil. Beat the eggs lightly, season with a fair amount of salt and ground black pepper. Scoop the potatoes out of their pan with a perforated weapon and add to the fish mixture; pour the beaten eggs in stirring over a gentle heat until they become creamy. Serve at once scattered with a generous amount of black olives and chopped parsley. This. is a very good supper dish and would do for about four hearty eaters. Green salad and red wine is all it needs.

Now for feasting here is dark and dangerous

Chocolate cake

5 oz of self-raising flour 1 oz of cocoa powder 6 oz of butter 6 oz of soft brown sugar 4 oz plain chocolate (Meunier) 4 large eggs 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence For the icing

1/2 lb chocolate (Meunier)

2 egg yolks Cream together the butter, sugar, vanilla and the chocolate melted in 3 tablespoons of boiling water. Separate the eggs. Add the yolks one by one beating sturdily. Sieve the flour and cocoa, fold into the mixture. Whip the egg whites stiffly, fold them in lightly. Spoon fairly into two 8" cake tins that have been well buttered. Cook in the centre of a preheated oven at Gas 4, F 355 C 179 for 25 to 30 minutes. Turn out on racks to cool. For the icing, melt the chocolate in 3 tablespoons of strong coffee, add egg yolks one at a time beating until thick. Put half in the middle of the cake and half on top.