Creamed Salt Cod with Potatoes

Method9 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Start two days ahead. Cover the salt cod with fresh cold water and keep covered in the refrigerator for forty-eight hours, changing the water two or three times each day. Drain and discard the soaking water.

   Cold salt-cod soak: change water 2–3 times daily · 2880 minUses 800 g salt cod before desalting · Fresh cold water for the salt cod soak, changed two or three times daily

2. 2

   Step 2: Put all the drained desalted cod in a pot of fresh unsalted water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a steady gentle boil and cook for about twenty minutes until the flesh flakes and reaches at least 63°C / 145°F.

   Cook desalted cod until fully cooked · 20 minUses All cod after its refrigerated soak · Unsalted water for boiling the desalted cod

3. 3

   Step 3: While the cod cooks, peel and wash the potatoes (1 kg) and cut them into pieces. In a separate large pot, boil all the potato pieces in unsalted water until tender enough to break easily with a spoon.

   Uses 1 kg potatoes · Unsalted water for boiling the potato pieces

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Lift the fully cooked cod from the water. Remove all skin and bones carefully, checking the flesh by hand as it becomes cool enough to handle. Keep the boneless cooked fish ready and discard its cooking water.

   Uses All cooked fish; discard its cooking water

5. 5

   Step 5: Drain the fully tender potatoes and put all of them in a large mixing bowl or pan. Discard the potato cooking water.

   Uses All cooked potatoes, drained of their cooking water

6. 6

   Step 6: Add all the prepared cooked cod to the drained potatoes. Mix with a wooden spoon, breaking the fish into large flakes and crushing the potatoes into a rough mixture.

   Uses All prepared cooked cod · All drained cooked potatoes

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Peel both garlic (2 cloves) cloves and keep them whole so they can be removed. Wash and chop the parsley. Set aside a few of the measured olives and pine nuts (30 g) for garnish, then stir all the remaining measured olives and pine nuts, the parsley and both whole garlic cloves through the cod-potato mixture.

   Uses All combined cooked cod and potatoes · 50 g pitted Taggiasca olives, including a few held for garnish · 2 cloves of garlic · 30 g pine nuts, including a few held for garnish · A little fresh parsley, chopped in step 7

8. 8

   Step 8: Stir the same cod-potato mixture energetically with a wooden spoon, adding enough extra virgin olive oil gradually to make it creamy. Remove both whole garlic cloves before serving.

   Uses The complete mixture; reserved garnish stays separate · Extra virgin olive oil, enough to make the cod-potato mixture creamy

9. 9

   Step 9: Finish with the olives and pine nuts reserved from the measured stocks. Serve warm as eight to ten portions, as an appetizer or main course. If serving cold later, refrigerate promptly in shallow containers and keep cold until serving.

   Uses All finished creamed cod-potato mixture · The few measured olives and pine nuts set aside before mixing