Title: Casserole of Salt Cod and Potatoes
Categories: Fish Shellfish Main
Yield: 6 Servings
1 | lb | Dried salt cod |
6 | c | Boiling water |
1 | tb | Unsalted butter |
3 | tb | Olive oil |
1 | lg | Spanish onion peeled and sliced thin |
2 | lb | Calif. long white potatoes or new potatoes, boiled until ten |
1/3 | c | Minced parsley |
1/4 | c | Freshly ground black pepper |
GARNISH |
1 | lg | Egg, hard-cooked, shelled and cut in thin wedges |
12 | md | Oil-cured black olives (unpitted) |
SOAK THE COD in the refrigerator 24 hours in several changes of cold water.
Drain, rinse, and drain well again. Place the cod in a large heavy
saucepan, pour in the boiling water, set over moderate heat, cover and
simmer 10-to-12 minutes--just until the cod flakes at the touch of a fork.
Drain and rinse well, then flake the cod, removing any bits of skin or
bone. Preheat the oven to 350F. In a large heavy skillet set over moderate
heat, warm the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil 1 minute. Add the onion,
separating the slices into rings, and stir-fry 8-to-10 minutes until limp
and golden; do not brown. Remove the onion from the skillet and set aside.
Add the remaining oil to the skillet, dump in the potatoes and stir-fry
about 5 minutes until golden. Layer half the potatoes in a well-buttered
2-quart casserole or au gratin pan and sprinkle with a little of the minced
parsley and pepper. Add 1/3 of the onion, 1/2 of the cod and another
scattering of the parsley and pepper. Repeat the layering, ending with
onion rings on top. Sprinkle with the remaining pepper and all but 1
tablespoon of the parsley. Bake the casserole, uncovered, for 35-to-40
minutes or until touched with brown. Garnish with wedges of hard-cooked egg
and the olives, placed artfully on top of the casserole, plus a final light
scattering of minced parsley.