“Salt cod—often calledbacalao—comes in many different qualities, by far the best shown here.”
Often, it is yellow, a sign of progressing rancidity, or excessively dry and thin. Look for the thickest filets you can find that resemble the unsalted fish as much as possible. Avoid buying tails, which are thinner and less meaty. Ideally, the fish should retain some flexibility.
Soaking is the most important step in preparing salt cod. Most recipes say to soak for 24 hours. However, this is risky and may leave the fish too salty. About 48 hours is a better bet.
When soaking the fish, look for something you can prop it up on in the soaking container so the salt, as it dissolves off the fish, sinks to the bottom, and doesn’t remain in contact with the fish. Here we show using a fish poacher with the fish on the rack suspending it above the bottom. You can also use a couple of cans set in a large pot and arrange the fish on top. Change the water every few hours.
Once the cod has been soaked, there is no great mystery to preparing it. Prepare it like any other fish, but keep in mind that it is stronger flavored than fresh cod. Because it can be aggressive, salt cod is usually poached before it is added to chowder or stew.
It is sometimes helpful to separate the thinner and thicker parts of the filets so their timing can be controlled accordingly. Here we show removing the bones and separating the fish into flakes. One popular preparation is a brandade.
A brandade is a puree of salt cod with garlic and potatoes. It is quite delicious when spread on toast. It does, however, seem like a waste when given beautiful salt cod such as that shown here.
Salt cod chowder is prepared much like a New England clam chowder. In fact, it contains clams, in that potatoes and leeks are simmered together, but differs from a traditional chowder in that it contains corn (next page). The corn is taken off the cob and simmered with milk for about 15 minutes until the kernels soften.
The mixture is then worked through a food mill and simmered with the other ingredients—clams, potatoes, and leeks. The fish, poached and separated into flakes, is simmered in the soup just long enough to heat it through. The sweetness of the corn makes a perfect counterpoint to the saltiness (which, in fact, should be minimal) of the fish.
Salt Cod Chowder with Corn, Potato, Leeks and Clams
In Spain, bacalao is served with romesco sauce. Romesco sauce contains dried red chilies (anchos are good), garlic, olive oil, bread, tomatoes (best roasted in the oven), almonds, and garlic, ground to a paste. While tradition dictates working everything together in a mortar, most everyone makes it in a food processor. The following shows baking a chunk of salt cod on a layer of romesco with lemon slices (rinds removed) arranged on top of the fish.
Salt Cod served over Romesco Sauce and Layered with Lemon Slices
Once you’ve poached the cod, you may want to use it in a salad. Salt cod goes well with citrus fruit which provides sweetness and acidity that balance the gentle saltiness of the cod. Try also including ingredients such as chilies to provide heat. Here we show cod with three kinds of citrus—orange, grapefruit, and clementines—fennel, and raisins.
Saltfish and klippfisk contain a lot of salt in order for it to be stored for long periods of time. Before we can eat it, we need to remove most of the added salt by soaking the fish in water.
Saltfish and klippfisk contain a lot of salt in order for it to be stored for long periods of time. Before we can eat it, we need to remove most of the added salt by soaking the fish in water.
Salted cod needs to be prepped in advance before use. We recommend 2 to 3 days of soaking prior to cooking. First, remove any excess salt from the surface of the fish.
Rinse the salt cod thoroughly under cool running water. Place salt cod in a large container of cold water and soak it up to 24 hours prior to preparing the dish, changing the water several times during soaking. Rinse the cod again and measure the fillet at the thickest point.
The 3 different ways of cooking cod I will be showcasing are: Pan Fried, Pan Seared and Pan Grilled. All of these cooking styles are very popular all over the world, and can easily be done at home with no special equipment or tricky cooking skills.
Soaking is the most important step in preparing salt cod. Most recipes say to soak for 24 hours. However, this is risky and may leave the fish too salty. About 48 hours is a better bet.
Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes.Add shredded salt fish, tossing to mix, and reduce heat to low and let cook for 5 to 7 minutes, tossing every 2 to 3 minutes. Fold in green onions 1 minute before the dish is finished. Remove from heat and serve hot or at room temperature.
Before cooking, soak the fish in milk for 20 minutes
In this scenario, the protein in the milk binds with the compounds that cause that fishy odor, in essence extracting if from the fish. What's left behind is sweet-smelling, brighter flesh with clean flavor.
Saltfish can be a range of different fish, but it's usually a meaty white fish such as cod. In the Caribbean you'll also find saltfish made with pollack, snapper or shark. Prior to cooking, saltfish must be rehydrated and soaked overnight in water.
Brining fish with salt before cooking is a helpful, but not crucial, step. The brine mixture adds flavor and firmness to the fish as it extracts excess moisture from the flesh which can make it stick to the pan during cooking. Lean white fish like cod and rockfish benefit greatly from a quick, dry brine.
Before it can be eaten, salt cod must be rehydrated and desalinated by soaking in cold water for one to three days, changing the water two to three times a day.
As well as fresh cod, you can also buy dried and salted cod, which is a great way to preserve it with hardly any loss of nutrients. Both versions of this highly versatile fish are equally healthy, provided you desalt and rehydrate it properly.
So much so, the salt must be flushed from the fish before eating. This can be done several ways. The most basic is to rinse the cod under cool running water, then submerge it in a bowl of water and refrigerate for 12 hours.
In terms of flavor, the taste difference between salt cod and fresh cod is slight. The salted cod will have more flavor. There is a reason why salt cod is called “the prosciutto of the sea”!
Salting fish, like sea bass fillets, before cooking helps to firm up the flesh and improves the texture. If you've travelled much in Spain or Portugal you will no doubt of seen salt cod, or bacalao on the menu – this is where the fish is covered in salt for days to remove all the moisture.
In the Caribbean, salt fish, also called bacalao, bacalhau, baccalà or dried fish, is fresh, meaty white fish (typically cod) that has been preserved for longer storage by salt-curing and drying until all the moisture has been extracted.
Introduction: My name is Kerri Lueilwitz, I am a courageous, gentle, quaint, thankful, outstanding, brave, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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