Spanish Basque Salt Cod Casserole Bacalao A La Vizcaina Food

BACALAO A LA VIZCAINA (BASQUE STYLE CODFISH STEW)

Steps:

• Soak the salted cod in about 2 quarts of water, changing the water 3 times over the course of 8 hours. Drain and cut the fish into bite-size pieces.
• Layer the half of each ingredient in the following order: potatoes, cod fish, onions, hard-boiled eggs, capers, garlic, olives, roasted red peppers, and raisins. Place the bay leaf on top, then pour half the tomato sauce and half the olive oil. Repeat with the remaining ingredients in the same order. Pour the water and white wine on top. Do not stir.
• Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.

BACALAO A LA VIZCAINA - SPANISH-STYLE SALT COD IN BATTER

Steps:

• Begin soaking the whole piece of salt cod in water three days prior to the day you want to prepare the dish
• Replace the water daily and be sure to cover the salt cod completely. Place it into the refrigerator while it's soaking
• Puree the onion, garlic, tomato and water in a food processor until a fine consistency
• Pour a tablespoon of oil into a large frying pan and add the tomato sauce, herbs, Espelette pepper and achiote.
• Simmer the sauce while preparing and cooking the cod
• Drain, rinse, pat dry and then cut the salt cod into pieces about 3 x 3 inches square. The sizes of the pieces will vary based on the shape of the fish
• Sprinkle the fish with two tablespoons of flour and pepper
• Separate egg whites and beat until stiff
• Beat egg yolks until creamy
• Combine egg whites, egg yolks, two tablespoons of flour, achiote and pepper, beating for a minute or two until batter is creamy
• Heat five tablespoons of oil in a frying pan until it reaches a medium high temperature
• Dip each piece of salt cod in batter and fry in oil until browned (3 minutes), then remove and allow it to drain on paper towels.
• Repeat until all the fish is cooked. Try to work quickly so the batter doesn't begin to separate.
• Place the fish in the tomato sauce and add the potatoes and olives
• Cover and heat thoroughly at a medium temperature (5-10 minutes)
• Sprinkle with parsley and serve

BACALAO A LA VIZCAíNA

Steps:

• Soak the salt cod in a large bowl of cold water for at least 24 hours in the refrigerator. Rinse, drain and dry on a towel-lined plate. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Heat the olive oil in a 7.5-quart Dutch oven or heavy saucepan over medium heat until warm. Add the garlic and onions and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the white parts of the scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but with no color, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until the paste is caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until evaporated, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, cover and cook over medium-low heat until the tomatoes soften, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the roasted red bell peppers and continue to cook at a low simmer for another 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover by 2 inches with salted water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Adjust the heat to medium low and simmer until the potatoes are just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and add to the stew, stirring gently to combine.
• Shred the rinsed salt cod by hand and add to the pot with the cooked tomatoes, peppers and potatoes. Cover and cook over low heat until the cod melds into the stew, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Stir in the capers and brine, olives with juice and half of the scallion greens. Taste and add salt, if necessary. Serve topped with the remaining scallion greens.

BASQUE STYLE COD

Steps:

• Grab a non-stick frying pan and heat it with a medium heat
• Add 1/4 cup of extra virgin Spanish olive oil to the pan
• Once the oil gets hot, season it with sea salt and add the cod fillets to the oil, skin side up
• While your cod is cooking, finely mince 3 cloves of garlic and finely dice 1 onion
• After about 4 minutes flip the cod to cook the uncooked side
• After cooking your cod for a total of 7 to 8 minutes, remove it from the pan, put on a plate and set aside
• Using the same pan with the same oil add the 3 minced garlics and the diced onion to the pan and mix
• After cooking the onions and garlic for about 4 to 5 minutes add 2 roasted red bell peppers to pan and mix
• About 3 minutes after adding the roasted red bell pepper add 1/4 cup of tomato puree to the pan, season with sea salt and mix
• 3 minutes after adding the tomato puree, transfer everything in the pan into a bowl
• Using a handheld mixer, puree everything until you get a smooth puree
• Add the puree and the cooked cod back to pan and heat for about 3 minutes
• Transfer the cod fillets to a dish and top with the sauce
• Garnish with fresh parsley
• Enjoy!

BACALAO A LA BIZCAINA: SALT COD BIZCAINE STYLE

Steps:

• In a medium-size bowl put the cod fish, and cover with water and let it soak for 24 hours. Change the water a least 4 times in a period of 1 day. (It's important to do this process, otherwise the fish will be extremely salty). When the cod has finished soaking, clean, picking out any cartilage or bones. Shred into small pieces.
• In a large saucepan heat the oil. When hot, add the onion and saute for about 3 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and saute until golden. Add the cod and stir, add the tomatoes and cover. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes, add the olives, capers, cloves, cinnamon, and jalapenos. Mix well and let simmer for 2 more minutes, add the chopped parsley, taste for salt and add if needed. Add the boiled potatoes. Remove from heat.
• Place in a medium soup bowl, accompanied with toasted crusty French bread.

SPANISH BASQUE SALT COD CASSEROLE (BACALAO A LA VIZCAINA)

Steps:

• Cut cod into 6 equal servings.
• To remove salt, soak about 20 hours in fresh cold water, changing water 4 to 5 times.
• Several hours before you plan to cook the cod, start the sauce (for which they take over 5 hours in Spain, but you may need less).
• In large skillet with cover, or Dutch oven, heat oil, 1/4 cup lard, bacon, and ham. When mixture bubbles, add onion, whole garlic cloves, and parsley. Cover, turn down heat as low as possible and cook for 3 hours, or until onion is very soft but not at all burned. Add boiling water and continue simmering for 2 hours longer, or until onions are completely fallen apart. Add more boiling water as necessary to keep from sticking. Add pimientos, tomatoes, and egg yolks mashed with bread crumbs and mixed to a fine paste with a little cold water. Simmer for a few minutes longer.
• Put everything through a sieve, food mill, or blender so you have a smooth sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste, and if you want to be authentic, a dash of cayenne.
• Meanwhile, when cod has soaked for 20 hours, dry it thoroughly with paper towels. Remove any scales, being careful not to damage the skin (which adds a smooth, gelatinous quality to the finished dish's sauce). In large saucepan, combine cod and unsalted cold water to cover; bring to a boil. As soon as water starts to boil, take out the pieces of cod; carefully remove bones.
• Grease a heatproof casserole with lard or bacon fat. In it, arrange a layer of cod; pour sauce over; repeat until all the cod and sauce are used up. Sauce should cover the fish, not drown it. Cook slowly until fish is done, about 20 minutes.
• During cooking, shake the casserole often so the sauce runs to the bottom. Also, with a wide pancake turner or spatula, losen the bottom layer of fish often to keep it from sticking, being careful not to break the pieces.
• Taste from time to time, and add salt and pepper if necessary; or a pinch of sugar if the cod is make the sauce too salty.
• Finished dish should be savory, neither too salty, too peppery, not too sweet, and of a good red color. Makes 6 servings.

BACALAO A LA VIZCAINA

Steps:

• Heat oil and sauté potatoes with onions for 5 minutes.
• Add the rest of the ingredients; simmer 20 minutes until the water has partially evaporated to thicken mix (giving it a stew like appearance).

BACALAO A LA VIZCAíNA (MEXICAN SALT COD STEW)

Steps:

• To prepare the salt cod, put it in a dish and submerge in cold water for 36-48 hrs before you want to cook it, changing the water five times within that time. Taste the cod after 36 hrs soaking. If the cod is still too salty, continue to soak for up to 48 hrs. The flavour will be distinctively salty but shouldn't be overpowering. Drain the cod and tip into a bowl. Using your hands, break the fish into 3cm-long shredded pieces, discarding any bones.
• Cut 1kg of the tomatoes into small cubes. Deseed the remaining 500g, blitz in a blender, then strain through a fine sieve. Put a medium pan over a medium heat, heat the olive oil and cook the onion for around 15 mins until translucent, then add the garlic, followed by the chopped and blended tomatoes. Continue cooking for 40 mins over a medium heat, stirring often.
• Add the salt cod and most of the parsley, and cook for about 15 mins. Add the potatoes, chillies, capers, olives and almonds, mix together, then cook for a further 30 mins. Taste it - if it needs more salt, add a little of the chilli pickling brine to season. Serve with the remaining parsley scattered over.

SALT COD (BACALHAU, BACALAO, MORUE, BACCALà) STEW

Steps:

• Soak the salt cod in lots of cold water for at least 24 hours, changing the water every 4-6 hours to remove the salt. Salt cod varies in its saltiness, and some may need as much as 48 hours to soak. Do not skimp on the soaking, because I don't know how to remove the salt later in the recipe!
• When you are ready to cook the stew, soften the onion and garlic in the olive oil.
• When soft, add the tinned tomatoes, fresh cherry tomatoes and herbes de provence.
• Drain the salt cod, rinsing well, and squeezing out all the water.
• Add the cod to the saucepan with the tomato mixture, and stir well.
• Cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes until the fish is nearly cooked.
• Add the courgettes (zucchini), chilli flakes, fennel seeds, chopped capers and black pepper.
• Turn up the heat and boil until the courgettes (zucchini) are cooked and the liquid has mostly evaporated, leaving a stew -like consistency. This took me about 20 minutes.
• Stir in the shredded basil leaves, then serve the fish stew immediately with mashed potatoes or polenta.