Frittering away
Just a quickie today as I need to crack on and start my revision. Intermediate exams are just over a week away.
I’m in the Outer Territories. Lands around the world that are administered by France. The 2 dishes, I think, come from the Caribbean. Colombo de Porc is a curry with spice influences from India and Sri Lanka. And Accras de Morue or salted cod fritters.
Plenty of lime and scotch bonnet for a bit of “ooh, how’s your Mama?”
For the curry, rice was browned in the oven and blitzed with toasted spices. The rice powder thickened the sauce during the long cook. Oil was infused with cracked annatto seeds. Pork shoulder was diced, coated in the spice mix and seared in the vivid red oil. Sweet potato, carrots, green mango, plantain and courgette were added. The curry was served with jasmine rice.
Weaving banana leaf
Chef said this dish is a right of passage because everyone’s spatula becomes a luminous yellow from the fresh turmeric root.
The dip that goes with the fritters is called Sauce Chien. Dog sauce. Reputedly named after a local knife. Come again? Chef said it’s more likely because you’ve got dog breath after so much raw onion and garlic. Water was boiled with oil and poured over onion, spring onions, garlic, chilli, parsley and lime zest. Once cooled lime juice was added and finely diced tomato. It’s got a kick, that’s for sure.
Cod was cured in salt, rinsed then cooked in warm water until it just flaked. Flour, water and bicarbonate of soda were whisked to make a batter. Into this was added onion, garlic, chilli, spring onions, parsley, thyme and lime zest and juice. And the flaked fish. The batter was thick enough to quenelle, then deep-fried. Mighty nice. Nicer than the curry.
We had to work in pairs today. Always fun because it puts real emphasis on communication and coordination. There was time to mess around with banana leaf. We did some weaving. Impressed?
Salt cod fritters with Accras