MAIN DISH
CODFISH IN A SPECIAL GARLIC SAUCE
The day before you plan to cook, place the salted codfish in a large pot, cover it with cold water and let it soak for 2 hours. Drain the fish, cover it with fresh water and soak for 10 more hours or overnight. Drain the fish again. Remove any bones and skin, and cut it into 3-inch squares
• 1 ½ pounds salted codfish, prepared as described above
• 2 cups Spanish olive oil
• 20 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into slivers
Place the codfish pieces in a 4- to 6-quart pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the fish is tender, about ½ hour. Drain the fish, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
In a large pan at least 4 inches deep, with two sturdy handles, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the garlic until golden but not brown. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and set it aside. Allow the oil to cool in the pan for about 1 hour.
Place the fish in the cool oil, turn the heat to medium-low, and rhythmically shake the pan as the fish fries. Do not stop shaking (''pilpiliando,'' as the Basques say) for 20 minutes, or until the oil has turned somewhat milky. With a slotted spoon, remove the fish to a large casserole (an earthenware one is typical).
Pour the cooked oil into a container with a spout (a gravy separator works best) and let it cool until the milky substance has settled to the bottom. Carefully pour the oil into another container, reserving the milky substance.
Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the milky substance in a blender or food processor and process it at low speed. With the machine running, pour in the oil in a slow, steady stream; the mixture will thicken like mayonnaise. With the blender still running, pour in enough of the reserved cooking liquid so that the sauce is thin enough to pour.
Scatter the garlic slivers over the fish and pour the sauce over all. Cover the casserole and warm it in the oven for about 20 minutes. (You may instead warm it in the microwave at a medium setting for about 5 minutes.) Makes 4 servings.
Source:A Taste of Old Cuba by María Josefa Lluriá de O'Higgins (HarperCollins, 1994).
