Sicilian Salt Cod Stew Recipes

Steps:

• Rinse salt cod in a sieve under cold running water for 3 minutes. Place the cod in a 2 1/2-quart souffle dish with a tight-fitting lid. Add 4 cups water. Cover with lid and cook in a 650- to 700-watt oven at 100 for 7 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover and rinse the dish in a sieve under cold running water for 3 minutes. Return the fish to the souffle dish and repeat the cooking and rinsing two more times, for a total of three times.
• Prick each potato several times with the point of a knife. Put a double sheet of paper toweling suitable for microwave use on the bottom of the oven. Place potatoes on paper at opposite ends. Cook at 100 percent power in a 650- to 700-watt microwave oven for 11 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool and peel as remaining cooking is done.
• Combine oil and garlic in a 2 1/2-quart souffle dish. Cook, uncovered, at 100 percent power for 2 minutes.
• Remove from oven and stir in tomatoes, olives, white wine, bay leaf, thyme, sugar and pepper. Place pieces of reserved fish in the mixture so that they are covered by the sauce. Cover with lid and cook at 100 percent power for 10 minutes.
• Remove from oven and uncover. Add raisins and pine nuts so that they are just under the surface but do not stir them in. Re-cover with lid and cook at 100 percent power for 5 minutes.
• Remove from oven and uncover. Gently stir together. Slice potatoes across, 1/4-inch thick. Divide potatoes among four large wide bowls. Spoon fish stew over potatoes and serve.

Steps:

• Rinse salt cod, then place in a bowl of cold water and soak for 8 hours or overnight. Change water every 2 hours if possible. (If desired, fully soaked cod may be refrigerated, drained and wrapped in plastic for up to 2 days.) Also put chickpeas in a bowl and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Leave to soak 8 hours or overnight.
• The next day, drain cod, chop it into 1-inch chunks, put it in a bowl and set aside. Put chickpeas and soaking water in a large pot over high heat. Add clove-stuck onion and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Skim foam, turn down heat and simmer for about 45 minutes, until tender. Halfway through cooking, add 2 teaspoons salt. Turn off heat and leave chickpeas in their broth until ready to use. (Chickpeas may be cooked several hours ahead or even a day in advance if desired.)
• Make the stew: In a heavy soup pot, warm olive oil over high heat. Add diced onion and let sizzle, then reduce heat and cook until softened, stirring, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, saffron, pimentón and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Add wine and bring to a brisk simmer. Drain chickpeas, reserving 6 cups of the broth. Add the broth and potatoes to the pot, cover and cook until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Ladle about 2 cups of the stew's liquid over the salt cod pieces and let steep for 10 minutes (the fish will cook while steeping), then pour this mixture into the pot. Add the clams and reserved chickpeas to the pot and simmer, covered, until clams open, 5 to 7 minutes. To serve, stir in the cilantro and ladle the stew into big bowls.