Thursday 4 September 2008

Cod-Gette Bites! Or What to do With Leftovers When You're Bored...

This is boredom food. I wasn't even really hungry, having had a big lunch and a snack at the pub on the way home. But I looked in the fridge and noticed a yellow courgette (zucchini!) left over from the Courgette and Lemon Spaghetti, I did for T&T, and a bowl of spicy cod and prawn mousse left over from the trilogy of seafood I prepared for the Royal Foodie Joust last month*. I had a couple of friends coming to share a few glasses of wine, so decided to cook up something random, just for something to do!

Spicy Cod-Gette Bites!

It isn't much of a recipe, so I'll just tell you what I did...

I sliced the courgette into thickish slices, and brushed each one with olive oil. Then I griddled them until just cooked - but still very al dente - no soggy courgette allowed please people! Whilst the first side was cooking, I ground some red chilli flakes and sprinkled some sea salt on the other side.

Meanwhile I shaped spoonfuls of the cod mixture into balls, dipped each one into beaten egg, before coating with panko. I deep-fried them for 5/6 minutes each in moderately hot oil. It took me a couple of goes to get the oil heat/time ratio - the first one was raw in the middle still. Next time I would probably make them a bit smaller and cook them for slightly less time.

Drain on paper towel.

Right, so take one of the cooked courgette slices and spread with some sambal. I used sambal brandal - but be warned it is pretty hot! I like it that way - but if you would prefer it less burny (bah), you could try some chili jam or even sweet chilli sauce here.

Place the spicy cod ball on top - and it's ready to go!





* No, it hadn't been in my fridge for a month - this is just a tardy post :P

35 comments:

  1. Anonymous4 September 2008 at 13:05

    First of all congratulations for winning the joust! I usually cook when I am bored too...it must be a blogger thing!

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  2. Prudy4 September 2008 at 14:02

    Wow- not only a winning joust but then an equally charming dish with the leftovers. Congrats to you!

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  3. glamah164 September 2008 at 14:12

    That looks great for entertaining. We both have cod balls on the brain.

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  4. Jen4 September 2008 at 14:40

    These look so cute-- your friends are lucky to have you cooking for them.

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  5. Laura Paterson4 September 2008 at 15:04

    Thanks jodimop! Isn't it amazing how the time passes when cooking!!

    Oh, cheers Prudy - thanks for stopping by!

    I'm looking forward to trying you baccala balls coco!

    Thanks Jen - I keep telling them that ;)

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  6. vanillasugarblog4 September 2008 at 15:26

    When I first saw this I was like what is this tasty little morsel? Then as I'm reading on I was like wow!! I would eat all of those and then would be embarassed. ha ha

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  7. Judy@nofearentertaining4 September 2008 at 15:39

    Love this idea for leftovers!

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  8. Thistlemoon4 September 2008 at 21:58

    That looks great! I love using up leftovers like this - to create something totally unique and on the fly! Work it, Kittie!

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  9. Michele5 September 2008 at 00:26

    What a great idea for your leftovers Kittie! I believe in not wasting anything so I'm always coming up with odd combinations. Your cod-gette bites are ingeniously done! Thanks for stopping by my site. The design company knew me pretty well and pulled from the fact that I'm an aging punk princess. :-) I'm very happy with their work.

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  10. MrOrph5 September 2008 at 09:39

    Wow! Very creative use of leftovers. I find that is when the best use of creative juices comes out is with finding a way to eat leftovers. Nicely done.

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  11. Laura Paterson5 September 2008 at 10:33

    dawn... I ate 3 of them! Then I felt a bit sick ;)

    Thanks Judy - we're all about the leftovers these days!!

    Thanks Jenn, me too - it's kind of like playing ready steady cook with the fridge!!

    Hey michele - so you should be, it's cool! Is the banner new too? I like the pic!!

    Thanks Mr Orph! Now I have to think up something to do with half a haggis, half a savoy cabbage and a pack of sugar snap peas... watch this space ;)

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  12. Anonymous5 September 2008 at 13:04

    hi kittie...thanks for dropping in at Escapades.... and the kind words!! do let me know how it turned out when you try it out!!

    i like dishes that mop up leftovers!!

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  13. Núria5 September 2008 at 14:27

    Mmmmm. I see... when you are bored you do these cuties and when you are not, you win the Joust! What do you do when you are sleeping? ;D

    I was thinking of doing a traditional Spanish dish with salty cod in it next week. All of a sudden everybody is cooking cod.

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  14. Natalie Que5 September 2008 at 14:29

    This is my kind of amuse bouche! And I'm with you, no sogginess or mushiness allowed! This is such a delightful looking dish!

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  15. Laura Paterson5 September 2008 at 16:35

    Thanks Arundati - I definitely will!

    Nuria - I dream of eating big mac's and fries ;) Oooo - I can't wait to see it - Spanish bacalao dishes are so wonderful!

    Thanks HG! Bring on the law against over-cooked veg!

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  16. Unknown5 September 2008 at 17:22

    This looks like a winner... yummy... :)
    BTW, I was tagged by Ning of Heart & Hearth, so I hope you don’t mind, but I’m tagging you… i would love to hear what you have to say… :)
    Thanks…

    http://myfinds-mikky.blogspot.com/2008/09/im-tagged.html

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  17. Maria5 September 2008 at 19:12

    Congrats on the award!! Love your recipe ideas!

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  18. Lore5 September 2008 at 20:49

    Kittie this is a great way to use up leftovers! I always have some courgette and aubergine in my house during this time of year so I can never have enough ideas to use them up.

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  19. Lo5 September 2008 at 22:07

    Well, will you just look at those? They're beautiful AND inventive.

    I love it when you get bored! :)

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  20. Anonymous5 September 2008 at 22:29

    Jousting--Wow! These look wonderful!

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  21. Alexa6 September 2008 at 02:53

    What a fun bite to eat! Fried cod cakes are so tasty. I love how fun you have made these.

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  22. Laura Paterson6 September 2008 at 08:52

    Thanks mikky - quirky I can do!! Ps. I still have my first barbie too (complete with awful haircut I gave her when I was 6!) Actually I've got 4 out of your 6 - spooky!

    Thanks Maria - glad you like them :)

    Hey Lore! I never seem to run out of things to do with courgette/aubergine - I'm thinking I might even try to grow some next year!

    Ha ha - don't think anyone's said that to me before Lo! Thanks :)

    Cheers Candy - jousting's fun!!

    Thanks Alexa (ps. it's breakfast time here - and I'm craving your blueberry/melon salad!)

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  23. CECIL6 September 2008 at 14:16

    Look so crispy and just such a perfect size!

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  24. giz6 September 2008 at 20:49

    Congrats on the joust. Man, if this is what you do when you're bored, you must be a house on fire when you're motivated.

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  25. Heather7 September 2008 at 06:13

    You and your perfect little seafood bites. You should host more cocktail parties, methinks. I bet a cold beer would wash these down perfect. Ooh! You should make these again as little bite-sized fish and chips using a fried potato instead of courgette. Then invite me over, and use your teleportation superpowers to beam me over.

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  26. Dee7 September 2008 at 14:50

    This is boredom cooking? Wow! I've never had salt cod :( That to eat list is just getting longer by the moment.

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  27. Nina Timm8 September 2008 at 06:21

    When can I come over for snacks???? This is very different and innovative, well done!!!!

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  28. hungryandfrozen8 September 2008 at 12:08

    Ooh, looks well posh! Sounds delicious too. I love making stuff up with leftovers :D

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  29. Laura Paterson8 September 2008 at 12:34

    Thanks Cecil! They were very crispy!

    More like setting the house on fire Giz ;)

    Oooo - fab idea on the fish and chip bites Heather - watch this space ;) The invitation is in the post... I'll let you know about the teleporter ;)

    Dee - I love salt cod, cooked right it is just delicious!!

    Come over any time Nina - especially if you bring some of those fab salmon starters!!

    Hi Laura! Posh is kind of up there with 'graceful' and 'ladylike' for me.. so woo hoo on managing it with leftovers! Thanks! :D

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  30. Jeff8 September 2008 at 15:35

    Drooll....deep fried food. How can you ever go wrong????

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  31. Srivalli8 September 2008 at 18:02

    Oh.thats great...congrats..those look so lovely k!

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  32. Jen8 September 2008 at 21:58

    Hi Kittie-- just wanted to let you know that I've passed two blog awards on to you. Arte y Pico is a repeat for you but the other one, Yummy Blog, is hopefully new.

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  33. Lauren9 September 2008 at 00:34

    i love fishcake-y type things. these look really good! I wonder how they would be with baccala (salt cod)?

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  34. Dewi9 September 2008 at 02:39

    Hey,
    I am so surprise that you can find sambal brandal in England. Anything with this sambal will taste good!
    Anyway, I used to have a hard time to appreciate leftover, most likely they'll end up in garbage bin. Not anymore after I learn that some left over even taste better. Your idea is great though. I must bookmark this and try to make it myself.

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  35. Laura Paterson9 September 2008 at 12:31

    jeff - exactly! You must have Scotland somewhere in your lineage ;)

    Thanks srivalli!!

    Oh thank you Jen - that's lovely!

    Lauren, salt cod just keeps coming up right now - and I'm getting some serious cravings!

    Hey Elra - I'm lucky in that I have really good food stores near me. I love my sambals!!! Good luck with the leftovers - the good thing about playing with leftovers is that if it doesn't work out you haven't really lost anything anyway!

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