Salt Cod BaccalÁ In Tomato Sauce Recipes

SALT COD WITH TOMATOES AND CAPERS (BACCALà ALLA VESUVIANA)

Steps:

• In large bowl, combine cod with water to cover by 2 inches. Cover and refrigerate, changing water 3 times a day, 1 to 3 days (see cooks' note, below). Refrigerate until ready to use.
• In small bowl, combine capers with water to cover by 1 inch. Cover and refrigerate 1 day, changing water 3 times.
• Drain and rinse capers, then squeeze dry. Drain cod and pat dry, then cut into 4- by 2-inch pieces.
• In heavy 6- to 8-quart pot over moderate heat, heat 3 tablespoons oil until hot but not smoking. Add onion and sauté until softened and golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Add red pepper flakes, capers, tomatoes and juice, and salt. Using wooden spoon, gently crush tomatoes. Bring to simmer, then carefully add cod. Add parsley and 1/4 cup mint and gently spoon some of sauce over cod. Simmer, uncovered, until cod is tender and heated through, about 5 minutes.
• Using slotted spatula, transfer cod to serving platter. Remove pot from heat and stir in 3 tablespoons olive oil. Spoon sauce over fish, then sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon mint and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SALT COD (BACCALÁ) IN TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Place the baccalà in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to soak for 2 days, changing the water twice a day to remove the salt. Note: If you skimp on this very important step, the fish will be far too salty to eat. After soaking, drain the fish and cut it into large pieces, about 4" square. Remove any skin or bones. In a deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Sauté until they become soft and transparent. Add the cod and brown it lightly on both sides, about 5 minutes. Mix the water into the tomato puree and pour it over the fish. Add the chopped olives and bring the mixture to a low simmer. Cover and cook for about 45 minutes. Stir occasionally, breaking up the fish as you do. Serve fish in deep bowls with crusty Italian bread or, over rice or your favorite pasta.

BACCALA IN RED SAUCE

Steps:

• Soak cod in water for 2 to 3 days, refrigerated, changing water every day. In large casserole, heat oil and add onion and celery. Saute until golden brown. Add olives. Add white wine. Reduce by half. Stir in tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil. Lower to simmer. Add potatoes and cod and cook until cod breaks off with a fork and the potatoes are tender. Taste, add parsley and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
• Salt may not be necessary.

BACCALA MANTECATO (SALT COD IN MILK SAUCE)

Steps:

• Put enough cold water to cover the fish in a pot with the fish, carrot, celery, and onion, and bring it to a boil over medium heat. As soon as the water boils, remove from the heat and let the pot stand for 5 minutes, then remove the fish with a skimmer and lay it on absorbent paper to drain and cool. When the baccala is cool enough to handle, remove all the bones, a necessarily manual operation. Do not remove the skin, however.
• Put the milk in a pan over low heat, and heat it until it is hot, taking care not to boil or burn it. Meanwhile, crumble the baccala by hand and put it in a bowl. Use a pestle to pulverize the fish, stopping every now and then to whisk in, alternately, trickles of oil and hot milk. Go back and forth between using the pestle and whisk. Continue to beat tirelessly; the process should take about 15 minutes. Salt is not normally necessary, but do add some black pepper. If the mixture gets too cold to mix well during the mashing, reheat it in a bain-marie until it is sufficiently malleable. You should also reheat it until it's warm when you are about to serve it. Accompany it with croutons of fried white bread or fried polenta.

SALT COD IN TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine oil and garlic in a large skillet, and turn heat to medium. Add anchovies, and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is lightly golden and anchovies are broken up, less than 5 minutes. Raise heat to medium-high, and add tomatoes, along with a little salt and pepper. Cook a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes liquefy.
• Add capers, olives, pepper flakes and cod. Cook about 10 minutes, stirring infrequently and gently, until cod is hot. Taste, and adjust seasoning. Garnish, and serve.

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!).