Catalan Shredded Salt Cod Salad Food

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 DIP

Steps:

• Soak the cod in cold water in the refrigerator for 24 hours, changing the water 4 times.
• Drain the cod. Put in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a bare simmer; drain, then repeat with fresh water. Drain again, then add the milk and cream to the pan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook until the fish is flaky, about 15 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the milk mixture, then drain and coarsely flake the fish.
• Put the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until tender, about 20 minutes; drain. Let cool slightly, then press through a ricer or a food mill. Meanwhile, combine the olive oil, garlic, thyme and cloves in a small saucepan; cook over low heat, 5 minutes. Strain the flavored oil and set aside.
• Put the cod, half of the flavored oil, the reserved milk mixture, the lemon juice and 1/2 cup hot water in a food processor; pulse until smooth. Add the potatoes and the remaining flavored oil and pulse to combine; season with pepper. Transfer to a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Serve warm with crackers.

AJOARRIERO - SPANISH SALT COD AND RED PEPPER SALAD

Steps:

• Prepare the salt cod.
• Soak the fish for at least 24 or as much as 48 hours, changing the water three to four times each day.
• When the cod has softened, remove any skin and bones.
• Shred the fish, tearing it into thin strips with your hands.
• Prepare the peppers.
• Char the peppers over an open flame (If you don't have a grill or a gas stove, you'll have to do this in the broiler--which requires care to avoid burning).
• Using tongs, turn the peppers frequently until the skin is blackened and blistered.
• Transfer the charred peppers to a brown paper bag, roll it closed and let the peppers sit in the bag for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Using a paring knife, carefully scrape the blackened skin away.
• Cut the peppers open, remove and discard the seeds and white membrane.
• Slice the peppers into strips or chunks.
• Prepare the potatoes.
• Peel the potatoes and cut them into chunks.
• Add them to a pan of rapidly boiling salted water.
• Cook, covered, for 10 to 12 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
• Drain.
• As soon as the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them about 1/4 inch thick into a salad bowl.
• While the potatoes are still warm, add three tablespoons of the oil, the vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.
• Prepare the salad.
• Add the shredded cod fish and the sliced pepper to the potatoes and toss gently.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for about an hour.
• When you are ready to serve, arrange the salad on a serving platter.
• Heat the remaining olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat.
• Add and brown the garlic slices.
• Pour this hot garlic and oil over the salad and serve.