Cod and Potato Bites with Mustard and Pickle Sauce

Dough

1. Cut the potatoes into pieces about 4 cm long. 1. Place them in a saucepan with cold water covering them by 2 cm. Do not add salt, or add only a tiny pinch. 2. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until a knife slides in without resistance.
2. Drain the potatoes and return them to the saucepan over low heat for 1 or 2 minutes, stirring until they stop releasing steam. Pass them through a food mill or mash with a fork until you obtain a smooth puree. Do not use a blender, as the puree becomes gummy.
3. Place the cod in another saucepan and cover with cold water. Heat over medium-low heat until the water barely shimmers, without coming to a rolling boil. Maintain this for 8 to 10 minutes, until the fish separates into flakes. Drain very well.
4. When the cod is lukewarm, flake it with your fingers or two forks into small pieces. Remove any bones or remaining skin. If it releases water, gently squeeze it with your hands.

   

5. In a small skillet, heat the olive oil or butter over medium-low heat. Sauté the onion for 6 to 8 minutes, until soft and translucent, without browning it.
6. In a large bowl, mix the mashed potatoes with the cod, the onion with its fat, the parsley, and the pepper. Taste the mixture and only then add salt if needed. It should be thick and manageable.

   

7. Spread the mixture on a shallow dish and let it cool for no more than 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until cold and firm. You can leave it up to 24 hours.

Sauce

8. Prepare the hard-boiled eggs: 1. Lower the eggs with a spoon into a saucepan of boiling water. 2. Cook them for 11 minutes at a gentle boil. 3. Transfer them to ice water for 5 minutes and peel. The whites and yolks should be firm. You can prepare them while the potatoes are cooking.
9. Separate the yolks from the whites. 1. In a bowl, mash the yolks with the mustard, vinegar or lemon juice and a pinch of salt until a smooth paste forms. 2. Add the oil in a thin stream, beating with a fork or beaters, until you have a thickened cream.
10. Finely chop the whites and incorporate them into the cream along with the pickles and parsley. Adjust salt and pepper. It should be a spoonable sauce: if too thick, add 1 or 2 teaspoons of cold water. Keep covered in the fridge until serving.

    

Breading and Frying

11. With slightly damp hands, form balls of about 40 g, about 4 cm in diameter. You will get about 25.
12. Prepare three shallow dishes: one with the flour, another with the beaten egg and the last with the breadcrumbs. 1. Roll each ball in flour and shake off the excess. 2. Dip it in egg and let it drain. 3. Coat it in breadcrumbs, pressing gently. Place the balls on a tray and refrigerate for 15 minutes so the coating sets.

    

13. Heat the oil in a deep saucepan about 18 cm wide to 175 °C (350 °F). You need at least 4 cm of depth, without filling the pan more than halfway. If you don't have a thermometer, test with a cube of bread: it should brown in about 60 seconds.
14. Fry in batches of 5 or 6 bites for 3 to 4 minutes, turning them until evenly golden. Between batches, let the oil recover to 175 °C.

    

15. Drain them on a rack or paper towel for 1 or 2 minutes. Serve hot with the cold sauce on the side, or place a teaspoon of sauce on each one.