Title: Fishballs a la Mrs. Benjamin Harrison
Categories: Fish History Main
Yield: 6 Servings

1 1/2	lb	Salt cod
3		Medium-sized potatoes
1/2	c	Water
1	tb	Melted butter
1/8	ts	White pepper
3	tb	Flour, more or less
1/4	c	Butter for frying
6		Slices toast
6		Poached eggs
6		Slices crisp-cooked bacon

Cover the fish with cold water. Let stand for 12 hours. Drain. Arrange the fish in a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven. Cover again with cold water. Bring to a boil and drain. Return fish to the pan. Peel the potatoes and slice them very thin; add them to the fish. Pour in the 1/2 cup of water. Cover and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, or until cod and potatoes are tender, adding more water if necessary to keep from scorching. Remove from the heat. Cool until the mixture can be handled easily. Remove any bones from the fish and drain mixture well. Mash fish and potatoes and blend in the melted butter and pepper. Form into cakes about 3-inches in diameter and 1-inch thick. Dip well in flour. Heat butter in a large skillet and fry cakes, turning to brown both sides lightly. Serve cakes on slices of toast and top each with a poached egg, then a strip of bacon.

1 BULLOCK, Helen Duprey, ed. Recipes of Victorian America Heirloom Publishing Company, New York.

Submitted by John Hartman Indianapolis, IN 14 Apr 1996

previous

next