Portuguese Salt Cod Cakes (Bolinhos de Bacalhau)

1. Hydrate the Cod in water for 1-2 days in cold water in refrigerator changing the water 2 times a day.
2. Cook the Salt Cod in boiling water for about 5-8 minutes. Let it cool, and then shred it into flakes. Reserve 1 cup of water and let it cool.
3. In a bowl, mix onion, parsley, bacalhau, flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and the olive oil, and mix well. Beat the eggs with the cold water and add to the bacalhau mix. Stir well to incorporate.
4. Add more salt and pepper is desired. Note: I like a pancake like texture and appearance so I make a thinner batter. If you like a thicker style flat cake use less water.
5. In a heavy skillet, add half of both oils to reach 1/4 inch in pan and heat to medium.
6. Note: (You may use all veg oil, or corn oil if you wish).
7. Test the oil temp by placing a tiny amount of batter in oil. If batter sizzles it’s ready to fry in. (If you see the oil begin to smoke, lower the heat.)
8. Spoon silver dollar size pancake batter into pan. Pat them down to cook flat into oval shapes to about 1/4 inch. Cook until golden brown on each side.
9. Place them onto paper towels or use brown paper lunch bags to absorb any grease.  Serve hot or cold….Top with squeezed lemon if desired. Make a double batch because they’re better the next day.

Recipe & Photo Credit: Tia Maria's Blog, portuguesediner.com/tiamaria