
Salt cod Christmassy
BaccalĂ Natalizio
Salt cod cooked with onion, celery, walnuts, chestnuts and raisins: a traditional dish that is warm and full of contrasts.
The salt cod Christmas is a main course rich and fragrant, designed for a festive table where fish meets ingredients with an intense and enveloping character. The pulp of the salt cod, tender and tasty, is combined with a soft base of onion and celery, enriched by white wine and the aromatic note of parsley. Walnuts, chestnuts and raisins they build an original balance between consistencies and nuances: the dried fruit offers a crunchy and full-bodied component, the chestnuts a delicate sweetness, while theraisins It adds tenderness and a pleasantly aromatic accent. Covering the fish keeps it moist and allows the seasoning to concentrate without drying out. This dish is part of the Italian culinary tradition and is best served piping hot, with the sauce distributed over each portion.
Instructions
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8 steps · natural Italian voice
Prepare the ingredients
Cut the onion and celery into thin slices. Finely chop the walnut kernels, peel the boiled chestnuts and chop them into pieces. Soak theraisins, then squeeze it carefully. Finally, lightly flour the pieces of salt cod, distributing the flour in an even layer and without excess.
Gently sauté the onion
Heat the olive oil in a shallow pan wide and add the sliced ââonion. Fry it over medium heat until it becomes soft and translucent, without letting it darken. The bottom must be fragrant and slightly golden, ready to receive the wine and to support the cooking of the salt cod.
Deglaze with wine
Pour the dry white wine over the sautéed onion and raise the heat slightly. Let it evaporate until the alcohol smell fades and the liquid reduces, forming an aromatic but not dry base. Continue cooking only when the wine no longer has a pungent aroma.
Add the salt cod
System in the shallow pan the pieces of salt cod flour them, keeping them in a single layer when possible. Add the celery, chopped parsley, pepper, and salt. Cover the shallow pan and cook over medium heat: the bottom should simmer gently, without boiling aggressively.
Cook the salt cod
20 minContinue cooking covered for about 20 minutes, checking that the bottom remains moist and that the salt cod Cook without sticking. The fish is ready for the next stage when the flesh appears opaque, tender, and easily separated, while the celery is soft and the sauce is slightly thickened.
Combine the walnuts
Add the chopped walnut kernels and mix gently, avoiding breaking the pieces of salt codContinue cooking at shallow pan Cover, allowing the dried fruit to settle and thicken. The dressing should be smooth and fragrant.
Complete with chestnuts
Add the boiled, peeled, and chopped chestnuts. Gently fold them in to keep them whole. Continue cooking briefly, just enough to warm them and allow them to absorb the flavors into the pan without breaking them apart. The sauce should remain soft and well-bonded around the fish.
Add theraisins
Complete the preparation with theraisins soaked and squeezed. Stir carefully and let it flavor for the last few moments, making sure the sauce is warm, fragrant, and not too liquid. Serve. salt cod immediately, very hot, distributing fish, seasoning, chestnuts and raisins in the dishes.
Chef's Tips
The editorial staff recommends adding chestnuts and raisins only at the end, so the chestnuts remain whole and theraisins retains a pleasant softness without falling apart in the pan juices.
Ingredients
- Ingredients for 4 people
- (28.22 oz) 800 g of salt cod (baccalĂ ) soaked
- 1 dl of olive oil
- (8.82 oz) 250 g onion
- 1 glass of dry white wine
- (7.05 oz) 200 g celery
- (0.71 oz) 20 g of raisins
- chopped parsley pepper
- Flour
- walnut and chestnut kernels
- salt
Can't find it in the US?
- salt cod (baccalĂ )International markets
Sold as bacalao in Latin, Portuguese, Caribbean and Italian markets
Or: Fresh cod, salted generously for 30 minutes and rinsed (skip the soaking)
Fresh cod is softer and flakes easily: shorten the cooking.
â ïž Automatic ingredient-based detection. Always check product labels.









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