Casserole of salt cod & potatoes

6 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 pounds Dried salt cod
6 cups Boiling water
1 tablespoon Unsalted butter
3 tablespoons Olive oil
1 large Spanish onion peeled and sliced thin
2 pounds Calif. long white potatoes or new potatoes, boiled until tender, then peeled and sliced thin
⅓ cup Minced parsley
¼ cup Freshly ground black pepper
1 large Egg, hard-cooked, shelled and cut in thin wedges
12 mediums Oil-cured black olives (unpitted)

Directions

GARNISH

SOAK THE COD in the refrigerator 24 hours in several changes of cold water. Drain, rinse, and drain well again. Place the cod in a large heavy saucepan, pour in the boiling water, set over moderate heat, cover and simmer 10-to-12 minutes--just until the cod flakes at the touch of a fork. Drain and rinse well, then flake the cod, removing any bits of skin or bone. Preheat the oven to 350F. In a large heavy skillet set over moderate heat, warm the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil 1 minute. Add the onion, separating the slices into rings, and stir-fry 8-to-10 minutes until limp and golden; do not brown.

Remove the onion from the skillet and set aside. Add the remaining oil to the skillet, dump in the potatoes and stir-fry about 5 minutes until golden. Layer half the potatoes in a well-buttered 2-quart casserole or au gratin pan and sprinkle with a little of the minced parsley and pepper. Add ⅓ of the onion, ½ of the cod and another scattering of the parsley and pepper. Repeat the layering, ending with onion rings on top. Sprinkle with the remaining pepper and all but 1 tablespoon of the parsley. Bake the casserole, uncovered, for 35-to-40 minutes or until touched with brown. Garnish with wedges of hard-cooked egg and the olives, placed artfully on top of the casserole, plus a final light scattering of minced parsley.

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