Salted Cod with Coconut Cream

Bacalhau is the Portuguese name for cod and refers to dried and salted cod. It is Portugal national dish.
Salting and drying meat and fish was the only method of preserving meat and fish until the artificial refrigeration began somewhere in the 19th century!

For a long time cod was caught exclusively off the shores of Newfoundland (North Atlantic coast) mainly by Portuguese, but also Spanish and Basque fishermen. It was widely available and affordable until the collapse of the cod stocks. The fish was salted and sun-dried ashore and was part of the basic Mediterranean diet. Before the advent of supermarkets you could see dried cods hanging by the tail in front of each grocery store.
Children loved to tear up pieces and eat them!
As you can imagine every country around the Mediterranean has more than one recipe to prepare the salted cod.

I have created my own baked recipe inspired by the Portuguese Bacalhau com Natas (Salted Cod with Cream.) It is a simplified version made with coconut milk and cream instead of dairy cream. If you're dairy-intolerant, this is an excellent alternative to cows' milk with the addition of the coconut's subtle sweetness.
It is very easy to make and the result is absolutely exquisite!

If you have never cooked Salted Cod, this is a simple and good recipe for a first try. I hope you will like it as much as I do!

Ingredients
1 pound salt cod fillets
2 pounds of potatoes, peeled and and sliced (I used Yukon Gold)
1 can (14 fl oz.) coconut cream
1 cup coconut milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups grated cheese (I used Jarlsberg)
Salt and pepper to taste


Directions

1. Soak the salted cod fillets in water for 24 hours, changing water 2 or 3 times (rinse well and drain every time.) Keep the cod in the fridge.



2. Parboil the cod for 5 minutes in water. Drain and let cool.
3. In the meantime, peel, slice and parboil the potatoes for 5 minutes. Drain.
4. Preheat the oven to 375 degF.
5. Flake the fillets into small pieces, removing any bones and skin. Feel for the bones using your hands. Set aside.
6. Butter an ovenproof dish generously. Layer half of the potatoes over the bottom. Top with the shredded cod evenly and add the remaining potatoes. Dont' worry if the potato slices break up. It won't affect the taste or the final look of the dish.



7. Pour the coconut cream and milk over the potatoes distributing it evenly. It should almost cover the top layer of potatoes; Add more if necessary.
8. Dot with pieces of butter. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
9. Take out of the oven, sprinkle the grated cheese and bake for another 15 minutes or until it is slightly golden. After that time, if it hasn't browned, turn on the broil and grill for 5-8 minutes, keeping an eye in the oven to avoid burning it.

I hope you will enjoy it as much as we do!

Tips

1. You should not need to add any salt to this dish. However, I suggest that you taste the cod and adjust the salt accordingly.
2. You can use any cheese : Cheddar, Swiss, Emmenthal, Gruyere.
3. You can substitute coconut cream for coconut milk. It will be slightly less rich tasting and have less fat.
4. As far as buying coconut milk, I personally like to buy organic coconut cream and milk.
5. You can use olive oil instead of butter.