HOMAGE TO BACALAO

 

Salt cod is poached in olive oil, finished in a tomato sauce with olives.

As Semana Santa rolls around again, I am preparing my annual homage to bacalao—dry salt cod—one of the most emblematic foods for Holy Week in Spain. During Lent, the religious observe days of vigilia, or fasting days, when meat is proscribed. In bygone times, before refrigeration, often salt cod was the only fish available. So this fish—which is not even fished in Spanish waters—has become part of the Holy Week culture. Every region of the country has its distinctive bacalao recipes. 

Salt cod is to fresh fish sort of like ham is to fresh pork. Salt-curing alters the taste and texture of the fish. Cod must be soaked in water to rehydrate it and remove much of the salt.  Salt cod is not “raw,” as the curing process, in effect, cooks it. It only needs to be gently heated, just until the flakes sort of slide apart. 

This year I’m preparing a traditional Andalusian bacalao recipe, cooking the cod with a tomato sauce with olives. Instead of the traditional way of first flouring and quick-frying the pieces of cod, I am preparing them in confit, poached in olive oil at low temperature. 

The cod confit can be made in the oven or in a heavy pan or cazuela on top of the stove. I decided it would be easier to control the temperature in the oven. In any case, you’ll need an instant-read or deep-frying thermometer to check the temperature of the oil. Remember, the cod doesn’t need cooking. It only needs to heat until, when prodded with a fork, the flakes separate easily. 

Poaching oil can be used to fry potatoes to accompany the cod and sauce.

Instead of parsley, I'm using sprigs of wild fennel to garnish the cod in tomato sauce. A touch of spring.

Cod is perfectly cooked when flakes easily separate. 

Salt Cod with Tomato Sauce and Olives, Andalusian Style

Bacalao con Tomate y Aceitunas a la Andaluza

Start this recipe two days in advance of serving, as the salt cod needs to soak covered in water for 36 hours.

A side of salt cod. This weighed about 25 ounces and, after filleting and trimming, yielded four fillets and thinner scraps to be saved for another use.

Takes patience to remove fins, spine and small bones from the cod. Easier--buy lomo, center-cut fillets. 

Fillets ready! I saved the two smallest pieces for another recipe.

You can buy lomos de bacalao, thick, center-cut pieces, almost boneless, or a whole side of salt cod. If you start out with a whole fish, after soaking, use a filleting knife to remove fins, center spine and bones. Do not remove the skin, as the gelatin in the skin helps to thicken the tomato sauce. Divide into four thick pieces. Save the thin and scrappy bits for another use.

Use good extra virgin olive oil for the confit. You’ll need a little of the poaching oil to make the tomato sauce. The remainder can be used for another purpose—for example, to fry potatoes to accompany the cod. It’s good, too, in mayonnaise or dressing for tuna or other seafood salad. 

Serves 4.

1 pound salt cod fillets

1 ½ cups extra virgin olive oil (more, as needed)

4 cloves garlic

¾ cup chopped onion

3 cups chopped or crushed canned tomatoes

1 bay leaf

Sprig of thyme, fennel or oregano (optional)

¼ teaspoon salt

Black or green olives, pitted

Chopped fennel or parsley, to garnish

Hard-boiled eggs, quartered, to serve

Fried potatoes to accompany (optional)

36 hours before serving:

Cut the cod into four more or less equal portions. Do not remove the skin. Rinse the cod in running water and place it in a non-reactive container. Cover the cod with cold water. Cover the container and refrigerate. Drain and cover with fresh water four times during the soaking period, about 36 hours total.

To cook the cod:

Drain the cod, squeezing it gently to expel retained water. Pat the pieces dry. Pour some of the oil into a baking dish just large enough to hold the pieces of cod in a single layer. Place the cod in the dish, skin side down, and add the remaining oil to completely cover the cod. Lightly crush 3 of the cloves of garlic and add them, without peeling, to the baking dish.

Cod ready when flakes separate.

     Place the baking dish in the cold oven and set the temperature to 225ºF. After the oven reaches temperature, let the cod cook 10 minutes. Test the temperature of the oil (use an instant-read or deep-frying thermometer). Keep testing every 5 minutes until the oil reaches 140ºF and the cod flakes easily when prodded with a fork, approximately 30 minutes total.  

     Remove the baking dish from the oven. Lift the cod fillets out onto a plate and tent them with foil.

Poaching oil covers the cod fillets.

Ladle ¼ cup of the oil into a pan and heat gently. Chop the remaining clove of garlic and add to the oil with the onion. Sauté on moderate heat 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, sprig of herbs and salt. When the tomatoes begin to bubble, reduce heat and partially cover the pan. Simmer the sauce until thickened and reduced, 30 minutes.

Discard bay leaf and sprig of herbs. Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until fairly smooth. Add the olives to the sauce and reheat. Place the cod fillets in the sauce and reheat them very gently.

Serve the cod and tomato sauce garnished with chopped fennel or parsley. Add quartered egg. Accompany, if desired, with potatoes fried in some of the oil that was used to poach the cod. 

More recipes with bacalao:

Salt Cod in Garlic PilPil Sauce.

Chickpeas, Spinach and Cod.

Valencia Rice with Cod and "Cobblestones."

Cod Fritters with Molasses.