Bacalao
Dry, Salted Codfish

This dish is being prepared for the family's Christmas Eve dinner.   Adriana has recruited her son, Nery, and daughter, Wendy, to help.

Nery begins by shredding the fish which has been soaked in water overnight to remove the salt.

Adriana is cleaning and slicing mushrooms which will go into the bacalao while Wendy is pealing and quartering boiled new potatoes for both the bacalao and romeritos which were being made at the same time.

The dish will include mushrooms, onions, potatoes, olives, garlic power, red chile flakes and salt.

Today, Adriana is using tomato purée for the salsa.  Sometimes she uses a red chile salsa.

First she sautés the onions and mushrooms until the onions are translucent. 

 

Then the fish goes in and simmers a bit before the olives and potatoes are added. When the potatoes are well warmed, she adds the tomato purée and spices and simmers briefly before spooning up a taste treat for me.

Delicious!  I could easily eat the whole pan.

A personal note:

I tried a variation in my kitchen using fresh white fish in place of the dried codfish, heavy cream in place of the tomato purée and without the olives.  I crumbled goat cheese on top when serving.

Both hers and mine were very good.

If you wish to write to Adriana Rosales you may send an e-mail to AdrianaR@rollybrook.com

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