Christmas Eve Baccala Soup Recipes

BACCALA SOUP

Steps:

• Soak baccala in a deep pan/bowl filled with water for 2 days;changing water once a day.
• Cut fish up into 4 inch squares;set aside.
• In pot on a medium low flame; put oil,onion and garlic; brown gently.
• Add celery,bay leaf,thyme and parsley; continue browning for 1-2 minutes.
• Add tomatoes; cook 5 minutes.
• Add potatoes; cook 10 minutes.
• Add fish; cover and lower flame.
• Cook slowly; 40 minutes or until potatoes and fish are done.
• Stir in pepper at end of cook time.

BACCALA ALLA CALABRESE

Steps:

• In a large pot, saute the onions in the olive oil over medium heat until they are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, olives, bay leaves, and basil and allow to simmer for roughly 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, baccala and potatoes; allow to simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Season with salt and pepper, to taste and serve immediately.

CHRISTMAS EVE BACCALA (SALT COD WITH POTATOES & TOMATOES)

Steps:

• PREPARE THE BACCALA: Three days before cooking, place the pieces of dried cod (baccala) in a large pan, cover with cold water, and refrigerate. (Do yourself a favor and cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap AND aluminum foil, or your refrigerator will be filled with a very strong fishy smell!) Soak for 3 days to remove the salt. Turn the pieces of fish occasionally and change the water every 6 to 8 hours. By the third day, the cod will be plump, soft, fleshy, and well hydrated. Rinse under cold water and pat dry. The baccala is now ready for the recipe. (This is NOT part of the preparation time listed in the recipe).
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Remove any skin and bones from the fish, dry with paper towels, and cut into 6 pieces.
• Grease a 9x12-inch-deep oven-proof dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Layer with half the potatoes, half the onions, half the cod, and half the tomatoes. Sprinkle with half the parsley.
• Add the raisins, toasted pignoli, capers, olives, and the rest of the potatoes, onions and cod. Pour in the rest of the tomatoes with the juices. Season with the salt, pepper, and the remaining parsley. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the top and bake, uncovered, for 45 to 50 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
• Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve in soup bowls.
• Remember, on Christmas Eve, this is only one of, at least, seven fish or seafood dishes that are to follow in the same meal. This recipe serves 6, as a part of a larger meal. If you are making only this recipe, you will probably want to double or triple it.
• Enjoy & Buono Natale (Merry Christmas!).

CHRISTMAS EVE SPAGHETTI WITH BACCALA

Steps:

• 1 Bring about 1 quart of water to a boil in a wide saucepan. Add the fish and salt to taste. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer the fish until very tender, about 10 minutes. Remove the fish with a slotted spoon. Let cool slightly. With your fingers, remove any skin and bones. Cut the fish into bite-size pieces. 2 Pour the oil into a large saucepan. Add the onions and celery and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are golden, about 15 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 2 minutes more. 3 Add the tomatoes and red pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick, 20 to 30 minutes. 4 Add the fish, olives, and capers and cook 10 minutes. Taste for salt. 5 Bring at least 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 2 tablespoons of salt, then the pasta. Stir well, gently pushing the pasta down until it is completely covered with water. Cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente, tender yet still firm to the bite. Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water. 6 Add the pasta to the pan with the sauce. Toss well over medium heat, adding a little of the cooking water if needed. Drizzle with a little extra- virgin olive oil and serve immediately. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.