Portuguese Fish Croquettes: The Little Golden Nuggets Your Party Needs

Movement Notes

There is a very specific kind of joy that comes from biting into something crispy and golden and discovering that the inside is fluffy, flavorful, and completely different from what you expected. Fish fofos deliver this joy in spades, and I am here to spread the gospel. These little Portuguese fish croquettes start with the somewhat amusing process of poaching haddock, which involves gently simmering fish in water and pretending you are a sophisticated cook who uses terms like poach in casual conversation. Once the fish is cooked, you flake it into a bowl with boiled potato, green chili, cilantro, cumin, black pepper, garlic, ginger, and rice flour, then crack an egg in there and mix the whole thing until it becomes this aromatic, spiced mash that already smells incredible. You shape the mixture into about fifteen small pieces, because apparently this recipe assumes you are cooking for a small army or have very little self-control, and then comes the breading station. Dip each piece in beaten egg, roll it in breadcrumbs, and chill them for twenty minutes, which gives you just enough time to clean the breadcrumb explosion off your counter and question your life choices. Then you fry them in oil until they turn that magnificent golden brown that makes you want to photograph them from multiple angles before eating. The outside is impossibly crunchy and the inside is soft, savory, and gently spiced in a way that sneaks up on you. The green chili and ginger give a warmth that builds without overwhelming, and the cilantro adds a freshness that keeps everything balanced. Serve them with an onion salad tossed in lemon juice and some mango chutney, and you have an appetizer that will make you the hero of any gathering. I brought these to a friend's house and they disappeared so fast I barely got one. Consider yourself warned: make extra, because people will not stop at one. Or two. Or five.

Score Trail

Source Reference

Original score log: https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/fish-and-seafood/fish-fofos/