# Shaved Carrot Salad with Ginger and Lime **Chef:** Bhairavi **Cookbook:** Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat **Potluck Date:** November 18, 2023 --- ## Recipe carrots, sliced into rounds 2cm (¾ inch) thick 1 tomato, peeled and halved 4–5 sprigs of celery fronds 3 bay leaves Pinch of saffron threads 1 small chilli pepper (optional) 170ml (6fl oz) extra virgin olive oil Juice of 1–1½ lemons, plus extra to serve Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Tie all the small fish and other seafood with the peppercorns in a cheesecloth and set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use. Place the larger fish, if using, in a large pot and add enough water to just cover the fish. Add a pinch of salt and boil for about 20 minutes (depending on size) until done, using a slotted spoon to discard any froth that forms on the surface. Remove the fish from the pot and set aside to slightly cool before you remove the meat from the bones or shells. Strain the fish broth through a fine sieve, in case there are any small bones, and reserve. Cut a cross halfway down into the onions and place them in the pot along with the rest of the vegetables, bay leaves, saffron and chilli, if using. Place the tied cheesecloth bundle on top. If you poached larger fish, add enough water to top up the poaching broth to 2 litres (70fl oz). If you didn’t, then add 2 litres water. Place over a medium-high heat and bring to the boil, uncovered. (This is a rule when boiling fish, otherwise the smell will be overly fishy.) Simmer gently for about 25 minutes, then remove the cheesecloth bundle, place it in a sieve on top of the pot and press it down to extract the juices. Add the olive oil and lemon juice to the soup, adjust the seasoning and gently simmer over a low heat for another 5–7 minutes until it thickens. Strain the broth from the vegetables. You can either pulse the vegetables in a food processor and return them to the soup for a thicker result, or serve them alongside the fish to add to your soup once you are ready to serve. Serve warm with extra lemon and black pepper to taste. Salt cod brandada from Santorini Salt cod, also known as bacalao, or in Greek bakaliaros, is traditionally prepared with salt-cured Atlantic cod, but nowadays you can find salted fillets of similar fish, like haddock and blue whiting. Its curing process first began around the late 8 th or early 9 th century, when the Vikings had the right boats to travel further and needed to have some kind of preservable food on board. Around the early 11 th century, cod was introduced to the Basques, who then in turn introduced it to other seamen from Britain and southern Europe. Sailors then adopted the habit of eating cod on board and popularized it in their countries, as it was easy to preserve, very affordable, and simple and versatile to use. In Greece, salt cod evolved into a staple ingredient, and is included in our National Independence Day dish, celebrated on 25 March. Around the country fried salt cod is served with skordalia, an olive-oil-based garlic dip. Brandada originally comes from brandade, a traditional dish from southern France. The classic French take involves salt cod puréed with milk and garlic, and usually potato, served on sliced bread. The take on the Cycladic Islands is quite different. The cod is cut into portions and is first fried, then the garlicky mashed potatoes are mixed in a simple tomato sauce. The thick sauce is poured over the fried fish, then baked in the oven. SERVES 4–6 500g (1lb 2oz) potatoes (ideal for mashing), peeled and cut into chunks 2 bay leaves 4 garlic cloves, halved 50ml (2fl oz) red wine vinegar 120ml (4fl oz) olive oil 130g (4½oz) plain (all-purpose) flour ½ tsp sweet paprika 750g (1lb 10½oz) salt cod fillet, desalted and cut into portions 250ml (9fl oz) light olive or sunflower oil, for frying 100g (3½oz) tomato purée (paste) (preferably double concentrate) 1½ tsp dried thymbra or thyme Pinch of sugar Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper TO SERVE 1–2 tbsp capers (rinsed if salt-packed) or chopped parsley Drizzle of early harvest or extra virgin olive oil Fill a medium pot with water, add the potatoes, one of the bay leaves, the garlic and a pinch of salt, and boil for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft. Drain, reserving some cooking water (about 3 tablespoons), discard the bay leaf and place the potatoes and garlic in a bowl. Mash them well using a potato masher, adding a little of the reserved cooking water if too dry to mash. When nice and smooth, mix in the vinegar, then gradually add the olive oil while working it with the potato masher. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside. Place the flour, a pinch of salt, ½ teaspoon of black pepper and the paprika on a large plate or tray and mix. Dredge the cod fillets, one at a time, in the flour mix, making sure they are coated on all sides, then gently shake off any excess flour. Place a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Pour in the light oil for frying, and give it a minute to heat up. Fry the fish, in batches of 2–3 pieces, for 6–7 minutes on each side until golden and crisp. Remove and drain on kitchen paper while you prepare the sauce. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F/gas mark 7. Place a saucepan over medium-low heat. Before the pan heats up, add the tomato purée (paste) and gradually start pouring in 230ml (7¾fl oz) water while stirring with a whisk until all of it is incorporated. Add the remaining bay leaf and the thymbra or thyme, the sugar, and a pinch each of salt and pepper (take care with the salt), and bring to the boil. Lower the heat, remove the bay leaf, and start mixing in the mashed potato, 1 tablespoon at a time. When all of the potato is incorporated, it should look smooth and relatively thick, and the whole process should not take longer than 5–7 minutes. Remove from the heat (to prevent it thickening further), taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of the thick tomato and potato mixture over the base of a deep baking dish, measuring about 20 x 28cm (8 x 11 inches). Place the fried cod on top. Spoon over the tomato and potato mix. Smooth it out with the back of a spoon, then use the back of a fork to create a cross-hatch pattern. Bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes until lightly browned on top, then serve immediately, sprinkled with capers or chopped parsley and drizzled with good-quality olive oil. I like to serve boiled greens, simply dressed with olive oil and lemon juice, on the side. Desalting cod The most important step of any recipe involving salt cod is to properly desalt it. You first need to wash it thoroughly under running water. If the fillet is whole, slice it into portions. A fillet weighing about 800g (1¾lb) is usually cut into four or six fairly equal portions. Place the cod in a large glass container (glass is important as it is salt resistant) filled with fresh, cold water and leave to soak. Most recipes call for 24 hours of soaking, but in my opinion it’s not enough and I soak it for between 35 and 48 hours, depending on thickness. However, excess soaking can ruin the texture of the flesh, so you need to keep an eye on it. It is important to change the water every 3–4 hours at first, then a little less often. Cover the container each time and place in the refrigerator. When the fish is ready, it will look like a fresh fish fillet again. Strain the water and remove the skin if you like – I usually do, although it is not essential for this particular recipe. If you keep it with the skin, make sure the skin-side faces the bottom of your chosen dish. Moussaka There have long been disputes over the origins of moussaka. Whether the recipe comes from Byzantine Greeks, Ottomans, Persians, Palestinians or Arabs, its name has undisputedly Arab roots, deriving from the word musaqqa’a, which literally means ‘that which soaks up liquid’. Many food historians argue that the recipe was initially inspired by the Persian maguma, a dish with lamb and aubergines (eggplants), others claim it has evolved from the Palestinian/Ara --- *Downloaded from BCBCBath Cookbook Club* *https://bcbcbath.com*