Best Polenta For Venetian Codfish Recipes

Venetian Codfish image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Number Of Ingredients 12

8 to 10 ounces dried cod
2 cups milk
1/2 small onion, halved
1 celery stalk, halved
1 garlic clove, crushed
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 to 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 head radicchio di Chioggia, cut into thin ribbons
Balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
1/2 head Boston lettuce, cut into thin ribbons
12 slices Polenta for Venetian Codfish, grilled or sauteed

Steps:

In a large bowl filled with cold water, soak cod for 4 days, changing the water twice per day. Remove cod from water. Pull off any skin, and discard. Using kitchen pliers or tweezers, remove any bones from the spine.
In a large saucepan, combine milk and 6 cups water. Add onion, celery, and garlic; season with salt. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and transfer cod to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Add just enough of the cooking liquid to moisten the fish, 1/4 to 1/2 cup. Be sure not to add the garlic clove. Beat cod on low speed. When it breaks into small pieces, increase the speed, and begin adding olive oil in a thin, steady stream. The quantity of oil used depends on the quality and fat content of the cod; stop adding oil when the mixture is very creamy and emulsified. Stir in parsley, and season with salt and pepper.
Using an oval ice cream scoop, neatly place 3 mounds of the cod mixture on each of 6 plates. Garnish with a handful of radicchio and Boston lettuce. Drizzle with oil and vinegar. Serve with polenta on the side.

Polenta with Salt Codfish image

Provided by James Beard

Yield Serves 6

Number Of Ingredients 10

2 pounds salted boneless codfish
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups drained, solid-pack tomatoes (or 1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped)
1 tablespoon dried basil (or a few leaves of fresh basil)
1 small can tomato paste
Salt, pepper
1 recipe polenta
Grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

Soak the codfish in cold water to cover for 8 hours, changing the water once during the soaking. Drain and cover with fresh water, bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until the fish is tender.
Heat the olive oil and sauté the garlic and onion. Add the tomatoes and basil and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Add the tomato paste and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The sauce should be quite thick. If it is not, reduce it over a brisk flame, stirring constantly.
Pour polenta into an oiled casserole or baking dish and top with codfish. Cover with the tomato sauce, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and put under the broiler flame for a minute or two, until the top is glazed.
For a Mexican version, chop 2 canned peeled green chilis and add them to the polenta with 1/2 cup grated Gruyère cheese. Add 1 tablespoon chili powder to the tomato sauce, simmer until thick.