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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 60 Minutes |
Ready In: 60 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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This meal was, and maybe still is, a traditional Christmas dinner in Italia. However, when my grandfather passed through Ellis Island, shortly after the start of the 20th century, he quickly discovered that turkey and ham held that position in the New World; so he moved it to New Year’s morning. Read more . With a few exceptions for things like a hitch in the Air Force and a trip up the Amazon, I’ve had this breakfast every New Year’s day for 69 years. I can still see my dad scurrying around the kitchen getting all of this ready. I wasn’t much older than ten the first time I got the job of frying the cod. For a lot of years this was the way we started the New Year. The centre piece of this spread is the baccala. Accept no substitutes. Get some honest salted Atlantic cod. I haven’t been able to get any of the stores here to bring in salted cod but I have conned one into bringing in frozen cod fillets and I make my own baccala. Don’t reckon you’ll have that problem so I won’t bother with how to do that. The quantities are sorta and this should feed four. I generally sauté a bit more baccala than we actually need for breakfast and we nibble on it during the day, with a Bloody Mary; or six. Fausto capodanno, amici. Capire? Ingredients:
• 2 lbs (1kg) dried & salted cod fillets; cut into strips about two inches (5cm) wide and six inches (15cm) long. |
• 9 eggs |
• 2 cups yellow corn meal. |
• a pinch of basil, optional. |
• a bit of butter, or olive oil, for cooking. |
• 2 medium bell peppers, sliced into rings or strips. i use one green and one read to add colour. |
• 1 medium onion, sliced into rings. |
• 1 large zucchini squash sliced into 1/2” (about 2cm) thick rounds. |
• 2 medium summer squash cut crosswise into 1/2” thick slabs. |
• 2 medium new potatoes, cubed at about 1” (2cm+) on a side. |
• 1/2 cup of grits. |
• salt & fg pepper to taste. |
Directions:
1. 1. Rinse the salt off the cod and soak I fresh water for an hour or so, to soften it. See Photo
2. 2. When the cod is soft enough, cut it into strips.
3. 3. Soak in fresh water for at least 12 hours. Keep it in the fridge and change the water five or six times.
4. 4. Okay, its New Year’s morning and you’ve had at least one Bloody Mary or a decent sized mg of George Washington’s Eggnog.
5. 5. Make the grits according to the directions on the package.
6. 6. Rinse the baccala one last time & let it come to room temp.
7. 7. While that’s happening, prep the veggies. See Photo
8. 8. Get out one of your trusty cast iron skillet and get it fairly hot.
9. 9. Dry the cod strips with a paper towel.
10. 10. Whisk one of the eggs.
11. 11. Put the corn meal & the basil into a suitable bowl & stir.
12. 12. Put a bit of butter or olive oil in your skillet. I have been known to add a wee bit of bacon drippings to the pan.
13. 13. Dip the cod strips in the egg & dredge in the corn meal.
14. 14. Fry the cod for 3 or 4 minutes per side, depending on thickness See Photo. The corn meal should be crispy but the cod shouldn’t be cooked to death.
15. 15. While the cod is frying, get out your other cast iron skillet, the big one, add some olive oil & start frying the potatoes.
16. 16. When the spuds are about half done add the onions.
17. 17. When the potatoes are almost done add the bell peppers and the squash See Photo. You can adjust this timing to suit your own taste. I like my squash just cooked.
18. 18. While cooking the veggies you can poach or fry the eggs to your liking. See Photo
19. Assemble the crew, serve & enjoy. Sorry I don’t have a pic of the finished meal but last year when I did this I wasn’t thinking about posting it so didn’t take any pics and the next time it gets cooked will be 01 Jan. 2012.
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