Recipes

Dried Cod with Potatoes and Olives

Dried Cod has always had a special place in my childhood memories. It was expensive and rare, but nevertheless, it consistently made its way to our dinner table once a year on December 19th; St. Nicholas day. Soup and cold salad made of flaked fish mixed with parsley, garlic and olive oil was a simple recipe my mother followed strictly and routinely. It was good, so why change it? I suppose we like to have some variety in life so I tried to find other recipes that are worth attention.

Few years ago, as a present, I got a cookbook called: “The Wine Lover Dines – Tony Aspler and Jacques Marie “. It was gifted to me by a friend, member of a local Wine Club. Over the years I tried many of the recipes from the book and was rewarded with fantastic dishes. The one I am reviewing today I prepared this week and everyone loved it. Cod is not for everybody; my younger daughter was the first to point that out. It is a fish with distinct flavor, mistakenly often overcooked, which results in a tough, rubbery and tasteless meal. However, that is not the case with this recipe. This dish is full of flavor and even my daughter was happy to ask for more.

Dried Cod With Potatoes and Olives

4 servings

This recipe is simple to prepare and very tasty served hot or cold. It goes well with any dry white wine.

Ingredients:

1 kg (2 lb) dried salt cod

1 large bay leaf

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 whole red chili pepper

1 kg (2 lb) potatoes, peeled

250 ml (1 cup) good quality olive oil

4 medium onions sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

16 oil-cured black olives

Freshly ground black pepper

1 lemon

15 ml (1 tbsp) chopped fresh parsley

4 eggs, hard boiled

2 tomatoes sliced

Method:

Soak the cod in cold water for 24 hrs, changing water twice. Make sure cod is completely covered with water and keep it in the fridge.

Place cod in the pot and cover with the water. Add the bay leaf, thyme and chili pepper. Cover, bring to boil and than reduce to low heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Watch it carefully so it does not boil over.

Peel potatoes ahead of time and keep them covered with cold water. Slice the potatoes thickly, about 10 mm (3/8″), add to the fish and cook, covered until tender. It takes about 15 min, but check it out by piercing the potatoes with a fork.

Remove fish and potatoes and reserve the cooking liquid. Flake fish on a warm plate and keep it warm and moist.

Heat the oil in a skillet on a medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook the until soft and without any coloring. Mix them frequently.

Add flaked fish, potatoes, olives and 500 ml (2 cups) cooking liquid. Gently toss together. Season with pepper and add lemon juice. Cover and cook over low heat for 5 minutes.

Remove bay leaf, chili pepper. Sprinkle fresh cut parsley. Toss and serve with sliced hard boiled egg and sliced tomatoes on top.