salt cod (bacalao) with red peppers, garlic and kalamata olives

serves 4

we serve this as an appetizer warm with slices of thin baguette, but it’s also great at room temperature.

• 1 1/2-2 lb. salt cod fillets
• 2/3 cup kalamata olives, pits removed, coarse chop
• 1/2 c spanish piquillo pepper or 1 med. roasted red pepper, cut into 1/2 inch long strips
• 6 whole cloves garlic peeled, crushed and sliced in half on a diagonal
• 4 good quality anchovies, we use ortiz brand, chopped
• extra virgin olive oil
• 2 t rice wine vinegar
• 2 t chopped italian parsley for garnish
• a pinch of red pepper flakes
• 2 t pickled jalapeño, chopped
• milk for poaching

rinse salt off of salt cod fillets then cut into 3 inch wide pieces and submerge in a bowl with a good amount of water and refrigerate for 24 hours changing the water at least twice a day. tear off a small piece and taste for saltiness. it should have a light, pleasant saltiness. if too salty, soak for another 4-6 hours.

rinse fish and place in a pan with a combination of milk & water over medium heat. when liquid starts to steam, almost boil, lower heat & simmer for 8-10 minutes or until fish easily flakes. remove from pan, flake into nice sized pieces.

in a medium frying pan add enough olive oil to cover bottom of pan about 1/8 of an inch and over low heat. add garlic cloves and turn them occasionally until soft and golden brown – remove them from pan and set aside.

turn up the heat to medium and add anchovies, stirring until they start to break apart. then add cod, pepper strips, olives, pepper flakes, jalapeño, rice wine vinegar, and garlic cloves and gently stir until cod is nicely heated.

pour, with all of the olive oil into serving dish, garnish with parsley. serve with thin sliced baguette.