Salt Cod, Two Ways

Nonno's lunches are famous among my family and friends. Those of you that have had the privilege of sharing a meal at his table know their power. We often excuse ourselves feeling miserably full, having failed to wave off the second and third helping that was heaped upon our plate despite objection.

Nonno prepares a handful of simple and perfect meals: fried shrimp, spaghetti with fresh pesto, or baccalà. The dishes are simple meals that, regardless of my efforts, resist duplication.

However, my desire to preserve family recipes (and my simple stubbornness) sustain my repeated effort to create meals as simple and as good.

This weekend, I prepared baccalà and salt cod croquettes. One a traditional dish of my family, the other a Portuguese finger-food.

While baccalà is well known in traditional Italian culture and cuisine, it neither originates or is prepared in Italy—nor anywhere else in the Mediterranean.

Baccalà and stoccafisso (both dried cod—baccalà is dried with salt and stoccafisso, or stock fish, is fresh-dried, without salt) are caught in North Atlantic waters as distant as Norway, Iceland, and Newfoundland.

Dried cod and the dishes made from it are known by many different names, as it influenced the cuisine of many European nations. For example, it is known as: bacalhau in Portuguese, bacalao in Spanish, and baccalà in Italian. Scandinavian nations refer to it as clipfish, and Caribbean natives call it saltfish.

Baccalà with Lemon, Garlic, and Potatoes

Rinse baccalà thoroughly and place in a deep container.
Cover fish with water. Soak for at least 24 hours and up to 2 days, changing the water at least three times or every 8 hours. While refrigeration is not necessary, I felt better about it being cold.

Remove fish from water; rinse.

Place fish in a large pot of boiling water for 15 - 20 minutes or until the fish flakes easily. With a slotted spoon, remove fish from water and place in a large bowl. Using two forks, flake the fish and set aside.

Place potatoes in the boiling water. Cook until tender.

Slice cooled potatoes and add to fish.

Toss with olive oil, lemon juice and finely sliced garlic.

Chill and serve.



Salt Fish Croquettes
Loosely adapted from Food & Wine

2 tbs olive oil
1 medium shallot
1 large clove garlic
1 tbs finely chopped cilantro
1 medium potato, boiled
1 cup Baccalà (soaked, cooked, and flaked per recipe above)
1 egg white
1 egg
flour, for dredging
breadcrumbs, for dredging
Vegetable oil, for frying.

Saute shallot and garlic in olive oil until shallot is translucent.
Mash potato and combine with shallot and garlic in medium-sized bowl.
Add cilantro, baccalà, and egg white.
Mix until combined.

Refrigerate mixture until cool.

Next, Fill skillet with 1/2" vegetable oil. Heat.
Form cod mixture into balls.
Dredge balls in flour, egg, and then breadcrumbs.

Place croquettes into hot oil. Turn once to brown.
Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.

Serve with lemon.

Makes 6 croquettes.