Baccalà Fritto (Fried Salt Cod)

Baccalà Fritto (Fried Salt Cod)

Salting as a method of preserving fish has been used for centuries in many places around the world such as Asia, Europe, and Latin America. The simplicity of the salting process, the low cost of production and the ease with which it combines with other preservation methods, such as drying or smoking, has led to its popularity and extensive use.

The important thing to note about salt cod is that it takes a few days to remove the salt. You must fill a large container with cold water and soak the fish in the refrigerator. The water must be changed twice per day and the fish rinsed when changing the water. This will result in a proper taste. Salt cod is not supposed to taste too salty. The salt was only there to preserve the fish. There is only one way to see if the salt has been removed, taste a little piece of fish. It should be de-salted in 2 days.

Note: Salt cod may differ in the degree of saltiness. A less salty one may need only one day of soaking, while a more salty one could require up to three.

In our family, Baccalà Fritto is made with hot peppers and usually served hot and spicy. The peppers our mamma uses are marinated hot red peppers, the little ones, not the large ones. They’re hard to find so when I run out I usually use the tiny hot Caribbean peppers that I find next to the jalapenos in the supermarket.

Ingredients:

1 large presoaked salt cod – cut into small pieces 2×2 inches

Vegetable oil

Garlic clove

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2-3 Hot peppers

Coarse sea salt

Lemon wedges

Heat vegetable oil in a large heavy pot over high heat. The oil must be hot and should submerge only 1/2 of the fish.

While oil is heating, pat dry the cod and dust generously in flour.

Transfer to oil, add some hot peppers and garlic and fry until golden

When golden, transfer to paper towel

Sprinkle with sea salt and serve immediately with lemon wedges. You can sprinkle with fresh Italian parsley to add extra colour.

Lupini Beans

Lupini beans are one of the highest in protein content, second only to soy beans.

Lupini Beans are commonly sold in a brine in jars  kind of like like olives and pickles. They can be eaten by making a small tear in the skin with your teeth and “popping” the seed directly into your mouth.

They have a high satiety factor and also suppress the appetite, lower cholesterol and reduce fat intake

They improve bowel health by reducing transit time and lowering colon pH. They are therefore a pre-biotic.

Lupin products are new to the North American food ingredient industry. They are most advanced in Europe.

Lupin products are being valued for their non-GM status. They are not genetically modified like soya and corn. This is a HUGE benefit to our health.  Hopefully the seed monopolizers (I won’t mention “Mon…fill-in-the-blank” here) will not change this in North America.

Lupin products can substitute for, and in some applications are superior to soy products.

I think you will see a lot more information arising about this popular bean famous in Italian households.

So the next time you would like to serve a nutritious snack when informal company comes over, just add Lupini’s to your plate with a little bit of peppers like the plate you see above. The image was taken during one of my commercial assignments for a restaurant. They happen to serve this dish to everyone who sat down at their table along with some crusty bread and oil and vinegar.

Braised Lamb with Honey, Garlic and Raisins … yummy!

I have been studying the book “The Professional Chef : The Culinary Institute of America” and found that braised dishes are quite easy to make once you master the basic science. In my opinion learning this was time well spent because it empowers you to create your own dishes at a whim. Braised dishes are something you can put on a stove for a few hours and not have to worry about it except for the odd time to stir things around. (3 times in my case) Your friends will just love your cooking! This recipe was the first recipe I developed myself without the use of a cook book so you will have to be patient with me because I’m still tweaking it. Therefore, this recipe is more of a guide to the finished product than a fully completed recipe. My advice is for you to first get the braising down to a science. From that point you will be able to make any braised meat dish to perfection. It’s really worth learning if you want to make amazing dishes without too much effort.

Braising Meats
Before you get started here are the basics:
To braise meat you must first sear it in hot fat. This locks in flavor. After adding your liquid, you must bring everything to a boil and reduce at once to a simmer (slightly bubbling bot not a boil) in a covered pot. The amount of liquid is crucial to the success of the dish. 1/3 of the meat should be covered with your liquid. The dish should simmer for approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours depending on the quality of the meat used. There should be enough liquid left over to create a small amount of sauce. If your liquid dries before the allowed time, you are cooking too high, if there is too much liquid you are cooking to low. The cooking liquids for braised meat are typically rich stock although you can use broths, wine or vegetable juices (not my favorite). I use a bouillon cube when pressed for time. Roasting garlic ahead of time and using it in your braising dish will give the dish a wonderful flavor but that’s an extra step if you have time or a love for cooking. To thicken the braising sauce use a roux or a reduction. Mirepoix may be pureed and added back to the sauce to thicken it. (don’t be intimidated … see bottom of post for an explanations of these terms, they’re easy, just fancy names that’s all)

The inspiration for my dish comes from a middle eastern restaurant I frequently visited when I was in my twenties and the fact that I love sweet meat dishes. If you don’t like sweetness in a meat dish, you may not like this dish, but the kids will love it! Serve this with my famous rice recipe or couscous along with a dark leafy green salad. The sauce mixes really well with all of these.

THE QUICK RECIPE (I will post the long culinary version another time)
5 Lamb Shoulder chops
olive oil (about 5 tbsp)
sesame oil (about 5 tbsp)
5 cloves of pressed garlic
1/2 onion chopped very fine
1/2 cup of white wine (Riesling is usually sweeter and this is a sweet dish)
1/2 cup or more of Honey (you may add more honey in the last 20-30 minutes)
5 tbsp of Soya Sauce
Mint (use at your discretion, yes it can be omitted)
1/4 cup of Chopped Walnuts
Sesame Seeds (small amount just for extra flavor)
vegetable bouillon cube
Raisins (about 1/4 cup)
Water (enough to submerge 1/3 of the meat)

Rub chops with a generous amount of salt and some pepper
Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over high heat
Sear shanks until brown on all sides
Transfer chops to plate

Add sesame oil, onions and garlic to pot and sauté until golden

Stir in wine, honey, soya sauce. Add vegetable bouillon cube

Add seasonings; mint, raisins, walnuts and sprinkle sesame seeds.

Return shanks to pot. Add enough water to submerge 1/3 of the meat.

Bring to a boil, and at once reduce heat to medium-low. Cover, and (simmer) nicely bubble until meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. (nicely bubbling not boiling – simmer.) Flip chops every so often. I usually do this 3 times or so.

Remove cover from pot. Simmer about 30 minutes longer. Taste for sweetness and add more honey or salt at this point.

Transfer shanks to platter. Boil juices in pot until thickened, about 15 minutes. Spoon over shanks. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and almonds. You may toast the sesame seeds and almonds for better flavor, if you have the time.

mire poix (mEEr-pwah) : a mixture of vegetables (usually onions, carrots, and celery, in the ratio of 2:1:1), added to stocks or sauces as a basic flavoring. Can be left plain, or browned in order to add color to a stock. Other vegetables are sometimes used, depending upon the desired flavor or colors of the finished stock. Usually wrapped and tied  in a cheese cloth and placed in the dish during cooking as not to end up with a bumpy sauce.

roux (rue) : flour and fat (typically  butter) in a ratio of 60/40, cooked to various stages of brown. Used to thicken many sauces, and to add color to some. The trick is to fry the roux (gently and lightly) to eliminate the starch taste of flour.