Bacalao A La Mexicana Dried Cod Mexican Style Recipes

BACALAO A LA MEXICANA (DRIED COD MEXICAN STYLE

Steps:

• Soak the cod in cold water to cover for 12 hours, changing the water 2 or 3 times. Drain. Place in saucepan cover with water and bring just to a boil. Drain, remove the skin and bones, shred the flesh and set aside.
• Remove the stem and seeds from the chile ancho and soak in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain then puree in blender with the tomatoes and strain.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet, add the onion and garlic over low heat until transparent. Add the puree and cook over low heat until it thickens. Add the cod, bay leaf, cinnamon, pepper, red peppers, almonds, raisins, olives, capers and parsley. Stir, then cook over medium heat, covered, for 15 minutes. Add the potatoes, cover and cook over high heat for 10 more minutes to heat through. Add salt if required.
• Garnish with the chiles gueros.

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.

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.

SPANISH CHICKPEAS AND COD (GARBANZOS CON BACALAO)

Steps:

• The night before you have to desalt the cod in a bowl with water (change the water two or three times). Use another large bowl with water and put the dried chickpeas inside.
• Cut the potato in cubes, deseed the pepper,peel the onion. Cut the cod in portions.
• In a pressured cooker put all the ingredients and add water to cover it all. Let it cook for about 20 minutes or until chickpeas are done.
• Add now some salt and pepper if necessary. You can remove the garlic head, garlic, tomato and pepper or mince them. Serve hot.

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 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.