At one time, dried salt cod was a popular food worldwide. It was a common staple throughout the Mediterranean basin. It was well represented in Spanish, Greek and French cuisines; but it was also integral to the native cooking of places as far flung as India and Canada. In recent times it has fallen out of favor as modern transportation and refrigeration has made seafood more available, as least in  the developed world.

The thing to remember about salt cod is just that, it has an astronomically high sodium content. This was done back in days of yore in order to preserve it during transport. As noted, that is no loner a problem. Still, there are some of us who still sing its praises. The sticking point, now as then, is that the product has to be prepared before cooking. The common practice is soaking the salt cod in cold water, and changing the water at least three times. For regular salt cod the usual soaking time is from 6 to 8 hours.  The common procedure is to leave it overnight, then drain and rinse under cold running water. The cod is then placed in a pot of boiling water to cover and simmered gently for 15 minutes or so. It is drained again and, when cool, the skin and bones are peeled way. Lastly, the fish is flaked so that its ready to cook.  Luckily, today you can buy deboned salt cod. So, at least, that part of the process can be omitted.

You probably think the preparation time involved is a hell of a bother just to eat cod. But not many good things are as inexpensive or as versatile. It can acquire any number of flavors during cooking, depending upon the condiments used. It will complement almost any vegetable or grain, even pasta. In our culture we serve it with rice, or bianda (root plants), eggplant, or tostones (green fried plantains).  With whatever side dish, or even by itself with plain bread, salt cod is extraordinary.

BACALAO GUISADO
(Stewed Codfish)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 bay leaf
¼ teaspoon sage
¼ teaspoon white pepper
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 pound dried salt cod (prepared beforehand for cooking; see above)

1. Heat olive oil in a heavy frying pan or skillet. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, bay leaf, sage and white pepper. Sauté over medium heat for about 3 minutes.
2. Add tomato sauce and cook for 3 minutes longer.
3. Add flaked codfish. Lower heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
4. Serve with favorite vegetable or grain.
Yield: 4 servings.

This is a recipe that will provide a great dinner in minutes. And, if you like salmon, you’ll love this sucker.  Honey-Lime Glazed Salmon provides fillets with a flavor all its own. Glossy and sweet-tart, it’s a memorable dish. And if you like it spicy, you can add a teaspoon of chili powder to the honey-lime glaze and still wow your guests and family.

For the salmon, you can use salmon fillets, already cut. Or you can purchase one 2-pound center-cut skin-on salmon, and cut into into four pieces. Either way will render a great meal easy to prepare, and a strong flavorful crust on the salmon that will make it unforgettable.

HONEY-GLAZED SALMON

Ingredients:

4 (5-ounce) salmon fillets or 1 (2-pound) center-cut salmon, cut into 4 fillets
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon grated lime zest plus 2 tablespoons juice
½ teaspoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Wash salmon fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
3.  In a small saucepan, whisk together the honey, grated lime zest, lime juice, cornstarch and cayenne pepper. Simmer over medium-high heat until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
4.  In a small bowl, combine sugar, salt, cornstarch and pepper. Rub this mixture evenly over flesh side of salmon fillets.
5.  Heat oil (until just smoking) over medium-high heat in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet (I prefer cast-iron). Lay fillets flesh side down in skillet and cook until well browned, about 1 minute. Carefully flip salmon and cook on skin side for 1 minute. Remove from heat and spoon honey-lime glaze over fillets. Transfer skillet to the oven and bake until center is translucent and tender when checked with a fork or pairing knife, about 7-10 minutes.
   Yield: 4 servings.

At the beginning of the summer I purchased a parsley herb plant. And the sucker took off. I now have a veritable jungle of parsley. So I have to use it up before the Fall hits our area. This recipe is one of those efforts. I’ve used parsley for everything, so why not fish fillets embedded in the stuff? You probably could do the same recipe with chicken or lamb, even steaks. You would just have to modify the baking procedure so it accommodates  chicken, lamb or beef.

This recipe goes well with any white, firm fleshed fillets, be it haddock, cod, turbot, perch, pollock, ext. With your favorite side dish, be it potatoes, vegetables, rice, couscous, or even pasta, it can’t be beat.

PARSLEY FISH FILLETS

Ingredients:

2 pounds fish fillets
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons white vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1 cup chopped fresh parsley (loosely packed)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Rinse fish fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Place fillets in a greased skillet or pan. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Season well with the salt, pepper and oregano. Top with parsley.
4. Transfer to oven and bake until fillets are tender and flake easily with a fork, about ½ hour.
   Yield: 4 servings.

The only steamed fish I’m familiar with are steamed sea-bass, very popular in Cantonese cuisine; and ginger steamed fish. Both are Asian dishes, where steamed fish, usually whole (with the head intact) is a very common method of preparing seafood. Then I started thinking, why not a steamed fish dish replete with spices and herbs common to Puerto Rican cooking? Since my purview is Boricua cooking as established on the U.S. mainland, especially during the diaspora in New York, I call it fish fillets – Nuyorican Style.

Let me recap: Nuyorican is a term given to Puerto Ricans born or raised in New York City. It was a derogatory term coined by Puerto Ricans on the island who regarded Nuyoricans with some antipathy. Like the homosexuals and Lesbians on the mainland who took the term gay and made it a sign of pride, we did the same with Nuyorican. So, here it is, Steamed Fish Fillets – Nuyorican Style. With a side of steamed veggies, such as sweet peas and zucchini  (as we did with this recipe) it is a winner.

Now, this dish calls for a steamer. You can use a regular steamer, a wok with a steamer attachment, or a bamboo steamer. If you don’t have one, you can jerryrig one: In a large pot or pan, place an 18.5 ounce can in the center. Fill the pot or pan so that the can is halfway standing in water. Place a plate with fish fillets on top, bring water to a boil, cover and steam as you would normally. That’s it. What is that old saying: Necessity is the mother of invention? Also, any white firm-fleshed fish fillet can work for this one, be it haddock, cod, perch, turbot, sea bass, pollock, halibut, ext.

STEAMED FISH FILLETS – NUYORICAN STYLE

Ingredients:

2 pound fish fillets
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill or 1 teaspoon dried
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ cup chopped fresh scallions

Instructions:

1. Rinse fish fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. In  a small bowl or cup, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar and lemon juice until it has emulsified. This is the lemon dressing.
3. Season the fillets with the oregano, dill and garlic powder. Place on a plate and drizzle with the lemon dressing. Sprinkle with the scallions, place on steamer half filled with water, bring to a boil, cover and steam until fish is tender, about 5 minutes.
Yield: 4 servings.

Time for salmon fillets. Haven’t had them in a while, and it’s like an itch that won’t go away. In our family, we love salmon. And normally, we like it simple, a piece of fish with a drizzle of butter and olive oil. But sometimes we pull out all the stops  and make it a banquet. I recently had that epiphany with one of my favorites, pepper encrusted salmon. To be honest, peppered salmon is not for everyone. Some folks, like my lovely wife, find the crusted pepper a bit strong. In fact, too spicy. So, I thought, why not have a sauce that could mitigate the pepper flavor; not necessary overwhelm it, but compliment it on the palette. And this was the result, Pepper Encrusted Salmon Fillets with Creamy Piccata Sauce.

A piccata sauce is one made with lemon juice, parsley and butter. It comes from the Italian “piccata,” or “larded.”It’s most popular incarnation is that popular dish, Chicken Piccata. In this recipe we add capers and sour cream to give it a refreshing tang. The beauty of this dish is that it can be served with any accompaniment. You can have it with rice, pasta, potatoes, or plain vegetables. So, treat family and friends to something special for dinner. No one will be disappointed.

Note that, for that genuine Nuyorican flavor, the recipe calls for the use of a  mortar and pestle to crush the peppercorns, garlic and salt. A mortar and pestle can be found these days in almost any store or supermarket. If you don’t have a mortar, simple place the ingredients between two sheets of waxed paper and pound  with a cleaver or heavy knife. You can cheat and use  ground pepper and garlic powder but, believe me, it won’t taste the same.

PEPPER ENCRUSTED SALMON WITH CREAMY PICCATA SAUCE

Ingredients:

4 salmon fillets or 1 pound center-cut salmon cut into four pieces
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 clove garlic, peeled
Pinch of sea salt or to taste
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large shallot, peeled and minced
½ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 teaspoons capers, rinsed
¼  cup sour cream

Instructions:

1. Rinse salmon fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. In a mortar, crush well peppercorns, garlic and salt. Press peppercorn mix into  salmon, coating thoroughly. Set aside.
3.  Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the wine, and boil slightly until reduced, about 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice and capers. Cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream.
4.   Now, here, you can go two ways. You can place the the piccata sauce in a warm saucer or small bowl and set aside, then wipe the skillet clean with paper towels and use for the next step. Or,  you can heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in another skillet until the oil is hot but not smoking; add the salmon  and saute 2 minutes on each side or until it just flakes. Place the fillets in a serving platter, top with the piccata sauce and serve.
   Yield: 4 servings.

If you’ve followed my blog, you’ll know I’m a fan of serving marinated fish as an entrêe. Just follow the posts: Marinated Fish Salad (08/3815);  Fish Marinated in Garlic Oil (04/24/15); Rum Marinated Salmon (07/03/13). Thus I ‘m always on the lookout for a good recipe. And it so happens that the recipe given today is yet another way to marinate fish; and it’s probably the easiest way to do it. It is so simple: just marinate the fish in or soy sauce, olive oil and grated ginger, with an added dash of cayenne pepper thrown in. Then fry the thing.  Nothing could be less complex.

This dish calls for fish fillets like haddock, turbot, perch, cod, etc.; but you can also do it with fish steaks. That being said, we now get into controversial territory: the wine. I know, the usual format is that white wine goes with fish and red wine with meat. As I’ve noted before, this is BS. Serve the dish with whatever damn wine you like. I’ve discovered that this dish goes well with a light Chianti, like a DaVince Chianti. As long as the wine had a fruity edge, you can’t go wrong.

Since this recipe has Asian ingredients such as soy sauce and ginger, I suggest that the perfect accompaniment is brown or white steamed rice drizzled with a little olive oil. Or you can even serve it over pasta such as angel hair or linguini.  You are only limited by your imagination. So, go at it!

MARINATED FISH FILLETS

Ingredients:

1½ to 2 pounds, fish fillets
¼ cup tamari or soy sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/3 cup sliced scallions
Canola oil

Instructions:

1. Wash fish fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. In a small mixing bowl or cup, stir together the soy sauce, olive oil, and cayenne. Place the fillets in a large zip-lock bag, add the soy sauce mix, close bag tightly and let marinate for 20 minutes, turning once or twice during marinating process.
3. Fill a large skillet with the canola oil to a depth of ½-inch. Heat the oil over high heat until it shimmers. Add fish fillets and cook for 2 minutes per side (or 1 minute if you like it very rare). Serve with steamed rice.
Yield: 4-6 servings.

One of the easiest methods of preparing fish is by poaching. This is a technique whereby food is cooked by submerging in a liquid such as milk, stock, water or wine. It is perfect for cooking fish since it is a “moist heat” cooking method. The fish is rendered full of flavor and unbelievably tender. The recipe given below follows that pattern. I can it Nuyorican Versian since it encompasses the main ingredients inherent in Nuyorican/Puerto Rican cuisine.

In that vein, this recipe calls for achiote, which is used for coloring and flavoring of dishes, and is very popular in our culture. Achiote is made by cooking 1 tablespoon annatto seeds (found in any Latino or Asian market) in ½ cup olive oil over moderate heat for 5 minutes. The oil will turn a bright-orange red, and the longer it steeps in the oil, the darker the hue. Remove from heat. Let it cool, then strain into a glass jar or container, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.  Now, for those who don’t have the time or inclination to prepare achiote, you can make a short cut by mixing ½ teaspoon ground turmeric in 3 tablespoons olive oil. It will give you the same orange-red coloring.

For this recipe you can use any firm, white-fleshed fillets such as haddock, cod, perch, tilapia, turbot, catfish, bass, turbot or snapper. It even works with blue-fish fillets, so you can give that a try as well.  We served the fillets over risotto, and it was great! But, if you prefer, a veggie side dish and some crusty bread will do nicely, along with a chilled white wine.  Hell, with the wine, drink what you prefer. We are not purists on that realm. My mother, of late memory, would drink her favorite wine, Manischewitz Sherry, with whatever was offered. She was a true individual.

POACHED FISH – NUYORICAN VERSION

Ingredients:

3 pounds firm, white fish fillets of your choice (see above)
10-12 whole black peppercorns
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon fresh dill or ¼ teaspoon dried
½ teaspoon salt (optional)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons achiote
¼ cup dry white wine
½ cup water

Instructions:

1. Rinse fillets under running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. In a mortar, crush peppercorns, garlic, oregano and salt. Blend in olive oil.
3. Rub fish fillets with the seasoning. Brush with the achiote.
4. Place fish in  a heavy saucepan of fish poacher. Add white wine and water. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, covered, for about 5 minutes.
5. Carefully remove fish using a pancake turner or spatula and serve.
Yield: 4 servings.