9 hours ago
2
I have history with salt cod. Some years ago, we were on our way from the south of Italy, where my father is from, to Tuscany, where my parents now live. We had a new baby and a car suspension compromised by a boot packed with wheels of cheese and salami. We took a break on the outskirts of a town not far from Naples, where we planned to order a quick primi and be on our way.
The pastas came and went, and then more cutlery arrived for one member of our party – my father, unable to resist salt cod, sat bashfully awaiting a sneakily ordered secondi for at least another hour.
So this, Dad, is one for you – a quick way of preparing the fish and satisfying the most ardent bacalao lover.
Cod and leeks with garlic and chilli
Although not the primary reason, the pre-salting of the cod also works wonders at removing any fishy taint it may have. Serves 4. Ready in 20 minutes, plus time for salting the cod
cod loin pieces 4, about 120g each
sea salt enough to cover the fish
leeks 4, large
white wine 50ml
garlic 1 clove
red chilli 1 dried
olive oil 4 tbsp
parsley a small bunch, roughly chopped
Salt the cod well and set it aside in the fridge for a good 3 hours or longer.
Trim the leeks, remove the outside layer, cut in half crosswise and wash. Place them in a wide pan that will fit everything comfortably, and add the white wine, a cup of water and a pinch of salt. Cover and simmer over a medium heat for 15 minutes, or slightly less depending on their size, turning them halfway through.
In the meantime, quickly rinse the cod under the tap. Add the cod to the pot and keep on the heat for another 5 minutes, pausing to spoon the hot water over the fillets halfway through. Then, when cooked, remove both from the cooking liquid with a slotted spoon to a warm serving plate.
Peel the garlic clove and slice length-wise into paper-thin strips. Tear the chilli into several pieces. Heat 4 tbsp of olive oil in a small pan over a medium heat again.
Add the garlic slices to the pan. After a minute or so, once the garlic begins to get sticky, add the chilli, and turn the heat down a little. Allow it to achieve a golden-brown colour before you add the parsley and turn off the heat. The parsley will easily fizzle.
Spoon the garlic-chilli oil all over the cod and leeks, so that everything gets a look-in, before serving.
Roasted Jerusalem artichokes, eggs and anchovies
If you are scared of whole peppercorns, leave them out and replace them with a pinch of dried chilli or a generous grind of black pepper in the whisked eggs.
Serves 4 as a starter. Ready in 45 minutes
Jerusalem artichokes 500g
garlic 1 whole small head or half a large one
lemon ½
black peppercorns 1 tsp
salted anchovy fillets 10
eggs 5
olive oil 2 tbsp
sea salt
parsley a small bunch, roughly chopped
Scrub the Jerusalem artichokes clean. No need to peel them. Peel and halve the garlic cloves and remove the green shoots, if they have any.
Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Lightly oil an earthenware baking dish or ovenproof pot, about 25cm in diameter. Arrange the Jerusalem artichokes cut-side down. Only lightly salt them as you’ll add plenty of salted anchovies later. Top with a little more oil, sprinkle with water and the lemon juice. Roast for 35 minutes until soft and cooked.
In your smallest pot, place all the garlic covered with olive oil and the whole peppercorns. Simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes until the cloves are totally soft. Remove from the heat before adding the anchovies. Stir, they’ll quickly melt, then smash altogether with the back of a fork.
Check the artichokes to see if the roots are cooked and, if so, remove from the oven. Whisk the eggs together with the garlic and anchovy paste.
Cover the hot Jerusalem artichokes with the eggs, turn them over with a wooden spoon and return to the oven for 4 minutes, then remove them and turn them over again. The eggs will finish cooking in the residual heat of the pan. Serve right away with freshly chopped parsley, if you like.
Fennel, tomato and cream
I had intended this as a side dish, but my dad found it on the stove and used it to dress pasta for the kids. It was too spicy for them, but he enjoyed it immensely, so it has another use. Serves 4. Ready in 20 minutes
garlic 4 cloves
fennel 2 bulbs, roughly 800g
olive oil 2 tbsp
sea salt
fennel seeds ½ tsp
dried red chilli 1, crushed
chopped tinned tomatoes 4 tbsp
double cream 75g
Peel the garlic cloves and halve. Trim the fennel at the base, cut off any stalks, cut in half lengthways and then into slices, roughly 1cm thick. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over a medium-high heat in a wide pan with a lid. Add the garlic and the fennel along with a pinch of salt. Allow to sizzle, stirring intermittently for 4 minutes. Then, once slightly coloured, add the fennel seeds and chilli and fry for a further minute.
Add the tomatoes, closely followed by 2 tbsp of water, cover and turn the heat to low. Allow to stew for 15 minutes at the low temperature, by which time the fennel should be much softer. Shake it from time to time and add a splash of water if it ever threatens to catch the bottom of the pan (once the fennel begins to stew, it should release some water of its own).
After a further 15 minutes, once yielding, add the cream and cook for a final minute or two. Serve warm.
Pear, honey and rye dessert
I make this with hard conference pears, as they stand up to the cooking really well.
Serves 4. Ready in 1 hour and 15 minutes
pears 3, medium-sized
lemon 1
honey 2 generous tbsp
egg yolks 2
caster sugar 75g
wholemeal rye flour 40g
plain flour 40g
egg white 1
brandy (or rum if you prefer) 2 capfuls
milk 175ml
salt a small pinch
icing sugar to serve
Heat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Peel, core and quarter the pears. In a flan dish lined with baking paper, artfully arrange the pears to fit.
Grate the lemon zest into a separate bowl and squeeze the juice over the pears. Then drizzle with 1 healthy tbsp of honey and add 3 tbsp of water. Bake until the pears are soft, the water evaporated, and the honey has begun to caramelise – about 30 minutes, but this will depend on your oven.
Meanwhile, prepare the batter. Whisk the egg yolks together with the sugar and zest until pale. Then add the flours, brandy and milk and mix again. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white to peaks and add a pinch of salt and whisk again. Then add the remaining honey and whisk some more – the peaks should be thick, aerated and firm. Stir the egg white into the rest of the batter.
When the pears are done, remove from the oven and turn the temperature down to 180C/gas mark 4. Cover the pears with the batter and return to the oven for 35 minutes. Turn out on to a plate, dust with icing sugar, and serve hot or cold.
Joe Trivelli is co-executive head chef at the River Café, London
