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Sekai Gohan
Codfish Breakfast: Bermuda Salt Cod with Potatoes, Banana and Avocado
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Boneless, skinless salted cod | 1 lb (450 g) | The salty center of the plate |
| Potatoes, halved | 4 | The starch that soaks up the salt |
| Eggs | 4 | Hard-boiled in the same pot as the fish |
| Ripe banana, sliced | 1 | Sweetness against the salt |
| Avocado, sliced | 1 | Softness and richness |
| Olive oil | a little | Drizzled over the cod |
| Bacon | 4 strips | Fat and smoke for the sauce |
| Onion, chopped | 1 | Sweet base of the sauce |
| Chopped tomatoes (optional) | one 16 oz (450 g) can | Body and acidity for the sauce |
| Salt and pepper | to taste | Adjusting the sauce |
Steps
1Soak the salt cod overnight in the refrigerator
The night before, rinse the cod, put it in a food-safe container and cover it well with cold water. Put the lid on and keep the container in the refrigerator for the whole soak. Change the water twice during the evening and once more in the morning, because the salt leaches out into the water each time. The cod is ready when it has softened and turned a more even, opaque white. A small piece boiled and tasted should be pleasantly salty, not harsh.
2Boil the cod, potatoes and eggs in one pot
Drain the cod and put it in a large pot with the four halved potatoes and the four eggs in their shells. Cover everything with fresh water and bring it to a gentle boil. Let it bubble for 25 minutes, keeping the heat steady so the eggs don't knock against each other. When it's ready, a skewer slides into the thickest potato with no resistance and the cod pulls apart into flakes when you press it with a spoon.
3Render the bacon and turn the onion golden
While the pot boils, cook the four strips of bacon in a skillet until they're crisp. Lift them out and leave the fat in the pan. Add the chopped onion to the bacon fat and stir it now and then as it softens. Move on when the onion has turned golden and smells sweet. It shouldn't be dark brown.
4Add the tomatoes and the crisp bacon
Crumble or chop the crisp bacon. Tip the can of chopped tomatoes into the golden onion and return the bacon to the pan. Let it bubble gently, stirring now and then, until the tomato breaks down and the sauce thickens enough to sit on a spoon. Taste it before adding any salt, since the bacon is already salty and the cod will be too. The sauce is done when it's glossy and red and holds its shape on the plate.
5Drain, flake the cod and prepare the garnishes
Lift the cod, potatoes and eggs out of the pot and let them drain. Break the cod into large, irregular flakes with your fingers or a fork, and pick out any stray bones you find. Cool the eggs under running water, then peel and slice them. Slice the banana and the avocado last. They're ready when the cod sits in loose flakes and the slices look clean, with no browning at the edges.
6Arrange the plate and finish with sauce
Arrange the cod, potatoes, egg, banana and avocado on each plate in separate groups. Drizzle a little olive oil over the cod. Then spoon the tomato, bacon and onion sauce over the fish, and season with pepper. Serve right away while the cod and potatoes are still steaming, so the warm sauce runs into the flakes.