An Onion Abroad

It’s codfish and potatoes, but not as we know it.

What could be more Bermudian than codfish and potatoes served up Sunday mornings with a boiled egg and sliced bananas.

But did you know that this local delicacy is just as beloved in many other cultures?

Known as bacalao in Portugal, morue in France, baccalá in Italy and saltfiskur in Iceland, this processed salty fish is more worldly than we might think.

I am a passionate believer in regional cuisine and celebrating local, seasonal food. Currently based in Europe, I find the similarities of various foods between different cultures fascinating.

In Iceland, for example, they love eating saltfiskur with melted lamb lard and boiled swede; a very strange combination you would think until you realise that we eat our version with bananas and avocados … hmmmm

In Italy, baccalá is eaten in various forms — polpette di bacalao (fried salt cod balls) and baccalá alla napoletana (codfish braised in tomatoes, capers and olives); in Venice, baccalà alla vicentina (slowly braised with onions, anchovies and milk) is normally eaten with polenta, and traditionally on Christmas Eve.

The Portuguese have a wonderful history with this fish. They are almost obsessed with the salty beast. The first records of Portuguese fleets fishing off the coast of Canada date as early as the 16th century, when their empire was vast and they were renowned for exploring every corner of the earth.

In fact, they even paid the British Navy in salt — a rare and expensive commodity in those days — to protect their fishing fleets. Later, in the early 1900s, when meat became very expensive and fresh fish was becoming harder to supply to the countryside, the government initiated the “Cod Campaign” boosting cod production and making it a staple, and much revered ingredient to this day.

So the next time you have a hankering for a plate of codfish and potatoes, remember, you are not alone!

Brandade de Morue

This is a lovely dish from France, which I tried on a trip to Paris. It can be made without the potatoes, to give a stronger flavour.

Ingredients:

1 lb salt cod

½ lb whole potatoes, peeled

4-5 cloves of garlic

1 bay leaf

4 sprigs of fresh thyme

¾ cup heavy cream

¾ cup to 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil, depending on taste and consistency

2 tbs of chopped Italian parsley

zest of 1 lemon

salt and pepper

Method:

Soak the cod overnight as normal. Bring the potatoes to a boil and simmer until they can easily be pierced with a fork. Drain and mash with a ricer or potato masher. Set aside.

At the same time, drain the cod and place in a pot. Cover with unsalted water and add the garlic cloves, bay leaf and thyme. Bring to the boil and simmer for approximately ten minutes, then remove from the heat and let stand in the cooking liquid for another 20 minutes.

Drain the cod well, keeping the garlic, but discarding the thyme and bay leaf. If you have a stand up mixer, transfer the cod (with the garlic cloves) and mash with the mixer on half speed. Pour 3/4 cup of the olive oil in slowly, so that it is incorporated, then add the potatoes. Finally, add the cream.

Season to taste with the salt and pepper.

Transfer the brandade to a shallow casserole, or baking dish and bake in the oven at 350F for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle the parsley and lemon zest on top and serve with croutes or crusty baguettes.

Baccala with prunes and raisins

The sweetness of the dried fruit balances the savoury flavour of the salt cod in this traditionally Umbrian dish.

Ingredients:

1¾ lb salt cod, already soaked

1 lb tomato sauce (or puréed tomatoes)

1 tsp sugar

4 oz prunes, pitted

2 oz raisins

1 onion

1 stalk celery

8 tbs extra virgin olive oil

salt to taste

Method:

Soak the cod overnight as normal. Dice the onion and celery. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and add the chopped vegetables. Cook for a few minutes without adding any colour. Add the tomato purée and sugar and cook for a further few minutes. Cut the cod into 6-8oz pieces and add it to the sauce. Cook for approximately 20 minutes. Add the prunes and the raisins and cook for another couple of minutes. Taste and season with a little salt if necessary, depending on the cod, and serve hot.

Bermudian James Perry works as the private chef for David Taylor, the New Zealand ambassador, in Brussels, Belgium