Steal This Recipe® Salted Cod Croquettes | La Cachette Bistro, Santa Monica

From Chef Jean Francois Meteigner, these tasty Cod Croquettes will be delightful when you make them at home

‘Stolen with permission’ from Jean Francois Meteigner of La Cachette Bistro in Santa Monica, California, these tasty Cod Croquettes will be delightful when you make them at home.

Jean Francois has introduced an innovative menu comprised of French tapas dishes at his Ocean Avenue bistro. The restaurant’s stylish, yet low key and comfortable interior is filled with banquettes, wood floors, wood walls and dark green granite topped bar and tables, and the bar lounge fills up nightly with groups enjoying pitchers of sangria and mojitos, while sampling the tapas offerings.

With items on the tapas menu like House Cured and Smoked Trout with Potato and Sour Cream, Grass Fed Beef Tartar with Baked Chips, and Stuffed Dates with Gorgonzola and Crispy Prosciutto, there is something for everyone. And of course the classic French dishes can still be found as entrees; Provencal Bouillabaisse, Coq Au Vin and Steak Frites, for example. There are classics on the dessert menu too; Profiteroles and Apple Tarte Tatin, but it will be difficult to choose with contenders like a Dark Chocolate Volcano with Mint Sauce and Floating Island with Hazelnut Pistachio Almond Nougatine and Caramel!

About the chef: Jean Francois Meteigner is the chef and owner of La Cachette Bistro. Taking advantage of the location in Santa Monica, Jean Francois enjoys shopping for all his ingredients at the local Farmer’s Market and shaping new menu items and specials based on Southern California’s freshest food; giving his classic French cooking a Californian flair.

He has been honored as Outstanding American Chef by the Grand Master Chefs of America, and 1997 Chef of the Year by the French Culinary Club of Southern California. In addition to running his successful restaurant, Meteigner has taught at Cedar’s-Sinai Hospital, Canyon Ranch and Green Valley Spa; he has also begun to teach his innovative techniques to home cooks at La Cachette Bistro on Saturday mornings.

La Cachette Bistro 
1733 Ocean Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90401
310 434 9509

Please note: this recipe uses a deep fryer and overnight refrigeration and preparation, so be sure to plan ahead.

This recipe makes 50 Cod Croquettes and is served at La Cachette Bistro for $7 as a tapas plate (3 croquettes).

Salted Cod Croquette Ingredients:
1 lb of Idaho potatoes 
1/2 lb salted cod, soaked in water over night 
1/4 Cup chopped chives 
1 1/2 Cups bread crumbs
1/2 Cup egg white 
2 Egg yolks 
Cayenne pepper
Milk for poaching 
Water for poaching

Steal This Recipe® Step by Step Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Clean the potatoes and bake them for an hour and a half.
Scoop the insides out of the potatoes and push through a ricer.
Poach the cod with half milk, half water for 20 minutes (without boiling). 
Discard the cooking liquid and chop the cod by hand, into a fine mince. 
Mix the cod, potatoes, chives and the 4 egg yolks together with a spatula and add cayenne pepper to taste.
Refrigerate overnight.
Roll the mixture into 3/4 inch balls and then roll the balls in the egg white and bread crumbs. 
Deep fry for 2 minutes at 325 degrees, then pat dry with paper towel and serve.

Chef’s note: Serve as cocktail canapé with garlic mayonnaise or wedges of fresh lemons. (Leftovers can be frozen, just take out of freezer one hour before frying, which can be done in a small sauté pan with one inch of oil. Roll balls around when frying and discard the cooking oil when done. Don’t over crowd the pan with croquettes - better to do few at a time and repeat.)