Enca Mellos Creamed Salt Cod Recipes

SALTED CARAMEL SUNDAE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread the peanuts on a sheet pan and roast for 7 minutes, until they become fragrant. Pour into a medium bowl, add the popcorn, and set aside. Line the sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Place the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium (10-inch) saute pan and mix with a fork until all the sugar is moistened. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves--from this point on, don't stir the caramel, swirl the pan! (Don't worry if the mixture looks as though it's crystallizing.)
• Continue to cook for 5 to 10 minutes until it becomes a clear golden brown, swirling the pan constantly at the end. (Be careful, the caramel is very hot!) Off the heat, quickly add the corn syrup and vanilla (it will bubble up!) and swirl the pan to combine. Working quickly (the caramel will continue to cook in the pan), add the popcorn and nut mixture plus the kosher salt and toss with two large spoons until the popcorn and nuts are completely coated.
• Pour the mixture plus any extra caramel in the pan onto the prepared sheet pan and spread the mixture out in one layer, pulling it apart with two forks. Sprinkle with the fleur de sel and set aside to cool. When it's completely cooled, carefully break into large clusters with your hands.
• To serve, pour puddles of Chocolate Sauce into shallow bowls. For each serving, place 3 small scoops of gelato on the chocolate sauce, sprinkle with some of the caramelized popcorn, and add a dollop of the Sweetened Whipped Cream in the middle. Serve immediately.
• Place the chocolate, cream, corn syrup, and coffee in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Be sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Heat the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Serve warm.
• Pour the cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat on high speed until the cream forms soft peaks.

ENCA MELLO'S CREAMED SALT COD

Steps:

• Soak the salt cod in the refrigerator 24 hours (or better yet, 48 hours) in several changes of cold water. (Keep the bowl covered so the whole refrigerator doesn't smell of fish.) Drain the cod, rinse, and drain well again. Remove bones and skin, and with your fingers pull the cod into small shreds; set aside.
• In a large heavy skillet set over very low heat, sauté the onion in 3 tablespoons of the olive oil about 15 minutes until very soft and golden, stirring now and then. Meanwhile, stir-fry the potatoes in the remaining oil in a second large heavy skillet over moderately low heat about 2 minutes until they begin to color; add the water, turn the heat to its lowest point, cover, and cook 15 minutes; set off the heat and reserve, still covered. As soon as the onions are softly golden, mix in the cod and 1/2 cup of the milk, cover, and cook over lowest heat, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.
• While the cod cooks, prepare a white sauce: Melt the butter in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat and blend in the flour; add the remaining milk and heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth - about 3 minutes. Blend in the white pepper and reserve.
• When the cod has only 10 minutes more to cook, preheat the oven to very hot (450°F.). When the cod is done, mix in the potatoes, white sauce, and cream. Transfer to a buttered shallow 3-quart earthenware casserole or au gratin pan. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes, lower the oven temperature to moderate (350°F.), and bake uncovered 25 minutes longer or until bubbly and tipped with brown. Serve at once with a tartly dressed salad of crisp greens and, to complete the meal, a light dessert of fresh fruit. Portuguese wines available here that would complement the salt cod nicely would be such authoritative dry reds as Dão Grão Vasco or a well aged Colares. The Portuguese always prefer to sip tinto (red wine) with bacalhau, which they consider too rich and heavy for white wines.

REAL MEXICAN ENCHILADAS

Steps:

• For the tortillas, in a large bowl combine the masa, flour& salt.
• Add 1 cup water, stirring until completely moistened (you may need to add more water a Tbsp at a time if necessary) and dough forms a ball.
• On lightly floured surface, knead the dough until it is no longer sticky, about 5 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 12 balls.
• Let the dough balls rest 20 minutes at room temperature.
• Roll each ball into a 6 1/2 inch circle.
• Using a 6 1/2 inch plate as a guide, trim the dough circles evenly and repeat until all the dough is rolled.
• Slowly heat an ungreased heavy skillet.
• Put the tortillas one at a time into the hot skillet and cook on each side for 1 minute.
• To prepare the meat filling, over low heat in a medium skillet saute the ground chuck with 1 clove of garlic, 2 tsp salt, the tequilla& chili powder until browned.
• Stir in kidney beans with their juice and then remove from heat and set aside.
• For the tomatoe sauce add olive oil to a large skillet and saute the garlic, onion and green pepper about 5 minutes until tender.
• Stir in undrained tomatoes and tomatoe paste blending well.
• Bring the tomatoe mixture to the boiling point.
• Blend the beef bouillon with the 3/4 cup of boiling water.
• Add the bouillon mixture, the chilis, cumin, salt& pepper to the tomatoe mixture and reduce the heat to a simmer.
• Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes, uncovered until slightly thickened.
• To assemble, preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Place 1/3 cup of the meat filling in the center of each tortilla and roll up.
• Arrange seam side down in a 13x9x2 inch baking dish.
• Pour the tomatoe sauce over all and sprinkle the top with the grated cheddar cheese.
• Bake for 25 minutes until bubly.

MEXICAN CORN BREAD CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and red bell pepper; saute until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add ground beef, garlic, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Cook and stir until beef is browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Mix corn into the beef mixture and toss to defrost, about 3 minutes. Drain and discard fat. Add about 1/4 of the shredded Mexican cheese blend and mix well. Pour meat sauce into a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Cover meat with a thin layer of salsa.
• Combine cornmeal, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Add milk and eggs; stir until well blended. Pour cornmeal mixture on top of salsa layer and top with remaining shredded Mexican cheese blend.
• Bake in the preheated oven until browned on top, about 30 minutes.