Salt Cod Diary

[LindaK]

Another salt cod restaurant experience: salt cod pierogies at Ten Tables, Cambridge MA.

No picture, the light was too dim. But it was a very pretty plate of lightly pan-fried pierogies with a chunky-creamy salt cod filling. Topped with fried onions, creme fraiche, and toasted breadcrumbs. Very rich and very good.

Not a traditional pierogi that I know of, but maybe it should be.

[LindaK]

Salt cod gnocchi with spring peas.

A variation on a recipe from Jodi Adams, chef-owner of Rialto restaurant, Salt Cod Gnocchi with Caponata and Bottarga that's been stuck in my head ever since I saw it months ago. I liked the idea of pairing them with something lighter than caponata and peas seemed like a good match. They finally appeared in local farmers markets this weekend.

Here I used both shelled English peas as well as sliced sugar snap peas. Substituted fresh mint for the parsley called for in the recipe. Lightly pan-fried them before tossing with a bit of olive oil and pecorino, topped with more mint. Exquisite!

I'd never made a stuffed gnocchi before and was worried that too much handling would make them heavy or gummy. So I did as little as possible. The dough was very delicate so I rolled it on a silpat and used a bench scraper to fold the dough over the filling before cutting it. They were larger than most gnocchi but not by terribly much. A lot of trouble but worthy of a special occasion. My experience with gnocchi is limited so don't know if they hold well or can be frozen. That would make a difference if I wanted to serve them at a dinner party.

The filling: shredded cooked salt cod with sauteed shallots, garlic, cream, fresh mint. Rich. A little went a long way.

Here's a shot of the filling process:

[janeer]

You are a tireless salt cod advocate, LindaK; we appreciate it.

[jayt90]

I have been experimenting with brandades recently.

First try: This from Thomas Keller, though not a very religious follow... Fresh cod from Costco was salted with pickling salt and refrigerated 48 hours.

After freshening, a traditional brandade was made with potatoes, cream, garlic and olive oil in a Vitamix.

This was super bland.

I'll go back to Sable Island salt cod from the box next time for sure.

2nd idea: I used true salt cod, freshened, and blended the flakes with 50% cooked white beans, adding olive oil, chopped garlic, and chopped rosemary.

This was really good, very thick, lots of wild mixed flavors. I'll do another and post the photo.

Meantime, does anyone know of good salt cod recipes with beans?

[LindaK]

jayt90, you're the first to post (I think) in this topic about making salt cod from scratch. I've never tried it. The only cookbook I have that describes the process is the Zuni Café cookbook by Judy Rogers. Her method: 1-1/2 Tablespoons (3/4 oz) sea salt per pound of fish and at least 72 hours (up to 7 days) curing to acquire its distinctive flavor. So perhaps yours wasn't cured long enough or you didn't use sufficient salt. Or maybe it just isn't worth it.

As for recipes with beans, Rogers' cookbook includes a recipe for monkfish braised with white beans, fennel, and tomato in which she says desalinated salt cod would be a good substitute for monkfish.

Coleman Andrews' book, Catalan Cuisine, has two salt cod and bean salad recipes. One tosses poached salt cod with black-eyed peas, tomatoes, scallions, celery, radishes, and mushrooms. The other starts with paper thin slices of raw (desalinated) salt cod, marinated 24 hrs in olive oil w/ fresh thyme, fresh cilantro, and black pepper. reserve the oil when you remove the cod. serve atop a bed of white beans, garnished with shredded lettuce and celery leaves. drizzle with the reserved oil.

That last one sounds very good for the sweltering weather of summer. If I didn't have to turn on the stove to cook the beans, I'd pull a piece of salt cod out of the freezer now.

I hope you keep us posted on your experiments!

[LindaK]

Salt cod niçoise, if such a dish exists.

It started as a traditional salad of salt cod, potatoes, and green beans—the final harvest from my garden this season, I’m afraid. Then I added the last of my cherry tomatoes. Finally some olives and arugula, parsley and chives. Why not? Whatever you call it, it was easy and delicious. A nice transition from summer to fall.

[jayt90]

jayt90, you're the first to post (I think) in this topic about making salt cod from scratch. I've never tried it. The only cookbook I have that describes the process is the Zuni Café cookbook by Judy Rogers. Her method: 1-1/2 Tablespoons (3/4 oz) sea salt per pound of fish and at least 72 hours (up to 7 days) curing to acquire its distinctive flavor. So perhaps yours wasn't cured long enough or you didn't use sufficient salt. Or maybe it just isn't worth it.

As for recipes with beans, Rogers' cookbook includes a recipe for monkfish braised with white beans, fennel, and tomato in which she says desalinated salt cod would be a good substitute for monkfish.

Coleman Andrews' book, Catalan Cuisine, has two salt cod and bean salad recipes. One tosses poached salt cod with black-eyed peas, tomatoes, scallions, celery, radishes, and mushrooms. The other starts with paper thin slices of raw (desalinated) salt cod, marinated 24 hrs in olive oil w/ fresh thyme, fresh cilantro, and black pepper. reserve the oil when you remove the cod. serve atop a bed of white beans, garnished with shredded lettuce and celery leaves. drizzle with the reserved oil.

That last one sounds very good for the sweltering weather of summer. If I didn't have to turn on the stove to cook the beans, I'd pull a piece of salt cod out of the freezer now.

I hope you keep us posted on your experiments!

I like your salt cod Nicoise, Linda. I'll try with the remainders in my garden. What wine did you choose?

I like both salt cod /bean suggestions, especially the raw salt cod salad. I can only take a smattering of cilantro, but broad leaf parsley should be OK. Hope I'm up to the challenge of thin sliced salt cod.

I have experimented two times with navy beans, evoo, seasonings, and 40% poached salt cod blended to a thin paste. I think it works as well as brandade, served warm as a dip or appetiser. I'll make another and photograph it.

[David Ross]

I was expecting to buy salt cod at the fishmonger yesterday. He didn't have any in the freezer case, so I thought all hope was lost. He typically always has a supply--little wood boxes of salt cod that he keeps in the freezer. Comes from a supplier in Nova Scotia. Well, on a whim I stopped by this little dumpy Asian market I occasionally go to and surprise, surprise, these beauties. Next week--my first of the cold fall season batch of brandade-

[janeer]

I was expecting to buy salt cod at the fishmonger yesterday. He didn't have any in the freezer case, so I thought all hope was lost. He typically always has a supply--little wood boxes of salt cod that he keeps in the freezer. Comes from a supplier in Nova Scotia. Well, on a whim I stopped by this little dumpy Asian market I occasionally go to and surprise, surprise, these beauties. Next week--my first of the cold fall season batch of brandade-

David, do you know where this is from? Asia, or elsewhere?

Edited September 23, 2013 by heidih
Fix quote tags (log)

[David Ross]

I was expecting to buy salt cod at the fishmonger yesterday. He didn't have any in the freezer case, so I thought all hope was lost. He typically always has a supply--little wood boxes of salt cod that he keeps in the freezer. Comes from a supplier in Nova Scotia. Well, on a whim I stopped by this little dumpy Asian market I occasionally go to and surprise, surprise, these beauties. Next week--my first of the cold fall season batch of brandade-

David, do you know where this is from? Asia, or elsewhere?

The box the guy pulled out said bacalao but I didn't look closely to see if the address was from Spain or elsewhere. Good question though.

[GlorifiedRice]

I get mine at the Asian mkt as well. 20 miles away! Then I found out its available at the nearby Shop-Rite...lol

[LindaK]

David, that is one impressive piece of salt cod. While I'm happy with the quality I can find, I never see it with the skin. I only care because there's a Spanish recipe, Bacalao al Pil Pil, that needs the gelatin from the skin to emulsify the sauce--which is only garlic and olive oil (some recipes add bay leaf or red pepper for flavor)--but looks like a hollandaise in photos. I've never eaten it, much less made it, but I'm curious. Otherwise, no skin is more convenient for most recipes.

jayt90, if you make the cod, potato, and bean salad, it benefits from tossing the cod and potatoes in the vinaigrette somewhat in advance so the flavors meld. Some recipes also call for onion. As for the wine, I think it was an inexpensive white from southern France, a Costieres de Nimes. My recycling is out or I'd check the empty bottle! Simple but very nice.

[jayt90]

Salt cod from Asian stores can be a successful bargain. Or not. Last one I got was probably pollack. Not creamy white, and no spots on the skin. It made a creditable brandade, and was only $4/lb.

A well regarded fishmonger in Toronto (Diana's ) often has pure white Gaspe salt cod for $20 + /lb. The one time I bought, I ruined it with a too long soak (couldn't get to it because of work); 3 days and it started to break down. When I drive through the Gaspe or south shore of the St. Lawrence, I see cod hanging in the sun and salt air. I think this provides a unique flavor, almost like fish eggs or old style barnyard burgundy. I think the Nova Scotia process is more modern than air drying, even the wooden box type, but some of that flavor is still there. The boxes are sold refrigerated at Sobeys in eastern Canada, but increasingly harder to find.

[Prawncrackers]

I made some Salt Cod and Lap Cheung fried rice last night and noticed this thread so started browsing. It seems that this dish has been attributed to Mission Chinese, just like to say among the genuine innovations made by the chefs at those restaurants this dish is not one of them. This is a Macanese Classic, I'm sure people of Macau and Hong Kong have been enjoying this since before Danny Bowien was in short trousers....

Also has anyone actually made salt cod from scratch? I didn't think it was too difficult, lots of coarse salt, pressing until firm, occasionally tipping away the liquid, resalting then hanging until dry. The key is just plenty of salt. I can't buy it here for a reasonable price and making it is just as good.

[huiray]

It seems that this dish has been attributed to Mission Chinese, just like to say among the genuine innovations made by the chefs at those restaurants this dish is not one of them. This is a Macanese Classic, I'm sure people of Macau and Hong Kong have been enjoying this since before Danny Bowien was in short trousers....

Heh. I alluded to its not being a "new thing" back here.

Edited September 27, 2013 by huiray (log)

[Prawncrackers]

It's precisely the use of salt cod/Bacalhau, the Portuguese influence that makes it Macanese. It's soaked first, blanched then flaked before using. Not the usual Chinese style of ham yue 鹹魚, the really salty stuff which like preserved anchovy in Western cuisine is used sparingly as an intense seasoning.

Actually reading the Mission Chinese dish description properly he's blended the best of both worlds. Salt Cod Fried Rice, slow cooked mackerel, Chinese sausage, lettuce, egg. I'm assuming the salt cod is a primary ingredient and the mackerel component will have that intense 鹹魚 flavour. He's a canny cook that fellow.

[David Ross]

Well, my gruesome looking, stinky little devils turned into something quite delicious. From this-

To this-

To this-

The salt cod was soaked in hot water for about three hours, (with two changes of water), then broken into chunks and sauteed in olive oil. Then processed with milk, cream, salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, oregano and two mashed potatoes. And a bit of butter. For those not used to salt cod, don't be swayed thinking it is too salty, I actually add some salt to the finished mixture before popping it under the broiler.

[huiray]

It's precisely the use of salt cod/Bacalhau, the Portuguese influence that makes it Macanese. It's soaked first, blanched then flaked before using. Not the usual Chinese style of ham yue 鹹魚, the really salty stuff which like preserved anchovy in Western cuisine is used sparingly as an intense seasoning.

Actually reading the Mission Chinese dish description properly he's blended the best of both worlds. Salt Cod Fried Rice, slow cooked mackerel, Chinese sausage, lettuce, egg. I'm assuming the salt cod is a primary ingredient and the mackerel component will have that intense 鹹魚 flavour. He's a canny cook that fellow.

I see the connection between salt cod and Macau in its use in fried rice, and its origin in Macau as you say - but with regards to the more "normal" Chinese ham yue I don't think of it always as "sparingly used as an intense seasoning". After all, there are all sorts of salted fish, of different "saltiness", many of which are soaked to remove some of the saltiness before use; and in many dishes the salt fish is used as a major component, not quite "sparingly as an intense seasoning". The Chinese-type salt fish is also definitely used in some iterations of fried rice here and there in SE Asia and E Asia, so even that is not a new thing. :-)

[jsager01]

Salt fish has been an important ingredient for centuries in China (especially in the southern provinces eg Quangdong, Fujian, Hainan, etc ), and also in S E Asia, and obviously in Portugal and Spain, and has also spread to former colonies like Jamaica and Suriname (in fact, when i need to, i buy bacalhau from a Surinamese stall at our regular Friday market).

However, the salt fish used by the Chinese and SE Asians are not the same as bacalhau, as cod does not exist in their seas. It is usually some kind of spanish mackerel, or even fresh water fish. While it is possible to sub bacalhau for Chinese salt fish, the flavor profile is quite different.

There are 2 main types of Chinese salt fish, the usual salted and dried fish 盐鱼, and the other that is usually bottled in brine and oil, labelled as 霉香 (and sometimes as 梅香)

The Quangdong Hakka use salt fish liberally. If you detect salt fish in your Yong Tofu (酿豆腐 ) or any other stuffed vegetables that the Hakka do, then you are having authentic Hakka cuisine.

Or you could try Steamed meat with salted egg or salted fish (蒸肉饼 zheng rou bing), or Salt Fish Tofu with Minced Meat (客家豆腐鬆 kèjiā dòufu sōng ). And of course used in fried rice or even simple fried salt fish to accompany rice porridge 米粥

Yes, salt fish is one great and versatile ingredient.

[jayt90]

I tried a version of Portuguese salt cod.

Layers of potato slices, poached salt cod, onion, potatoes again; topped with a blend of herbs, hotter peppers, garlic, olive oil and tomato sauce.

Then into a hot oven for an hour.

Served on a mustard leaf.

I used a deep cast iron pan for even heating.

Edited October 18, 2013 by jayt90 (log)

[jayt90]

I had a pound of boneless Nova Scotia salt cod in the fridge, and decided to make a simplified brandade.

 

After freshening 48 hrs., I poached and flaked, then added it to garlic fried lightly in evoo. 

 

Added a cup each of cream and prepared instant mashed potatoes.  A short cut, but it worked.

 

Finished with a layer of panko crumbs in the oven for 25 minutes.

 

This way I avoided pulverizing everything and putting through a sieve or food mill.

 

I enjoyed it just as much as the traditional brandade paste.

 

 

[bethesdabakers]

Pudim de Bacalhau com Ovos - sounds better than salt cod with eggs.

 

A Brazilian dish from Elizabeth Lambert Ortiz “The Book of Latin American Cooking”

 

Her quantities for six as a first course:
½lb salt cod
2 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch)
¾ pint milk
2½ ounces butter
1 medium onion grated
2 medium tomatoes peeled, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons capers
Seasoning
6 eggs
grated parmesan

 

Did roughly half quantities. I used the not-stiff-as-a-board type of salt cod which doesn’t need so much soaking or cooking. Soaked the cod overnight changing the water two or three times. Covered it with boiling water, brought it back to the boil, covered and turned off the gas. Removed from the water after about 15 minutes, skinned and flaked.

 

Melted some of the butter in a small pan, mixed a small amount of the milk with the cornflour, stirred in the rest, added to the pan with the butter, stirred till thickened. Melted the remaining butter in another pan fried the onion gently, added the tomato and reduced a little. Stirred in the sauce, cod and capers and allowed to cool.

Preheated the oven to 200C (400F, Gas 6). In my case buttered two ramekins, broke an egg into each, covered with the cod mixture, sprinkled with parmesan, baked 8 minutes.

 

A really nice combination of two of my favourites, salt cod and baked eggs.

[chromedome]

One of the few “whole fillet” recipes I’ve found is salt cod “pil pil,” which I see in cookbooks as diverse as Paula Wolfert’s “The Cooking of South-West France” and Jose Andre’s “Made in Spain.” It uses the gelatin from the cod fillet to create an emulsified sauce with olive oil, which has been flavored with both garlic and hot pepper. It might be next on my list, save for one concern: my salt cod is skinless, and these recipes refer to cod fillets with skin—I wonder whether the skin in crucial to the recipe, maybe that’s where the necessary gelatin is. Does anyone have any experience eating or cooking this dish?

 

I'm a bit late to the party, so you probably already know the answer by now, but yes...as you toss and swirl the skin-on cod, its gelatin emulsifies with the olive oil. 

 

My paternal family's from Newfoundland, and one of my earliest memories is split cod drying on the flake behind my grandfather's house. We usually at it with boiled potatoes, thinly sliced rings of raw onion (soaked briefly in vinegar) and diced salt pork rendered out to make salty, pungent "scrunchins." The rendered pork fat was spooned over the fish and potatoes. 

 

In the 1980s, when I lived in Vancouver, I wandered into a little Portuguese restaurant on Commercial Drive -- essentially the Iberian equivalent of a greasy-spoon diner. I ordered their salt fish and potatoes dinner, just to see how it would compare to what I'd grown up with. It came with thinly-sliced rings of raw onion (red, in this case), but it was sprinkled liberally with black olives and drizzled with olive oil. After a moment's consideration, I was amused by the similarity. The olive oil was certainly healthier than salt pork fat, but added a comparably pungent and rich counterpoint to the fish and potatoes. The black olives provided a salty complement to the potatoes, just as the scrunchins did in my childhood. It was different, but very good. I went back and had it again several times before I moved away.

[jayt90]

The skin has a lot of gelatin, and I used some of it in a brandade. Too much and it discolors, but the paste is surprisingly tolerant, as I add it to the Vitamix. Salt cod with skin on is is usually available in Pan Asian stores with a Caribbean following.  Also the sole Portuguese store in my area.

 

I like both of the dishes you have described and will try them.

[bethesdabakers]

So with spare prepared and cooked salt cod from the Pudim de Bacalhau com Ovos recipe, a couple of posts up, I made Avocado Diablo.

Gently fried half an onion in butter and olive oil. Added garlic, tomato puree, a little sugar, coriander (cilantro), black pepper, half a large scotch bonnet and fried a little longer. Added the salt cod, a few raw prawns (shrimp), chopped green pepper and tomatoes, juice of half a lime and cooked until the prawns were just done. Served hot in avocado halves (two).

Recipe from Kenneth Gardnier's Creole Caribbean Cooking. Didn't last long.