How to Make Codfish Fritters, Guadeloupe Style

It’s one of the most delicious dishes in the Caribbean: Accras de Morue, the signature codfish fritters of the French West Indies. 

The team at the Guadeloupe Islands Tourist Board has been kind enough to share their recipe with us — meaning you can bring the French Caribbean right into your home. 

Here’s the full recipe for accras de morue — a dish best served with a freshly made ti’ punch. 

INGREDIENTS

200g salt fish

100g flour

water

1 bay leaf

30g garlic

100g onion

40g scallion

50g soft pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 eggs

PREPARE THE CODFISH

Rinse the salt under cold running water. 

Place the fish in a large bowl and cover it with cold water to desalt. 

Refrigerate for 24 hours, changing the water three times in the process. 

Drain, putting the fish into a small pan, covering with cold water. Add a bay leaf and poach the cod for 10 minutes over low heat; drain in a sieve. 

Crumble the fish into very small pieces with olive oil. 

BATTER 

Put the flour into a large bowl, mixing with water in order to obtain a smooth paste; let the paste stand for one hour. 

HERBS AND SPICES

Wash and peel the garlic cloves, onions, scallions and soft pepper. Chop finely. 

MAKE THE BATTER

Combine the flour paste, crumbled fish and the other ingredients finely chopped. 

Separate egg yolks from the whites and add them to the cod mixture. Beat the whites into a firm peak. Add the beaten whites into the paste carefully. 

FRY IT UP

Heat the frying oil at about 350F. 

With a tablespoon, take the batter and drop it directly into the oil. Fry the accras until the color turns brown on one side, then flip them over. 

Drain on a baking sheet. Serve immediately. 

— CJ