- 2 pounds thick salt cod back (1 kg)
- 1 pound large potatoes (500 g)
- 1 quart milk (1 l)
- 5 star anise pods
- 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup cooking olive oil (10 cl)
- 1/2 cup light chicken stock (10 cl)
- 4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar (2 cl)
- extra-virgin olive oil
Potato chips
- 2 large potatoes
- 1 pint peanut oil (50 cl)
- 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
Step 1: Potato chips
Peel the potatoes, cut 20 very thin slices, and deep-fry twice in the peanut oil between two round racks, to get perfectly flat, white chips.
Fry 10 sprigs of parsley in olive oil at 250°F (120°C). Place on paper toweling in a drying oven, and chop the rest of the parsley.
Step 2: Cod
Boil 3 quarts of water, and add 10 1/2 ounces (300 g) of coarse gray sea salt. Once the salt has completely dissolved, remove the brine from the heat and cool immediately.
Eliminate the excess salt from the fish. Plunge it into the brine and let it soak for 2 days, keeping it in a cool place. The purpose of this procedure is to allow the sections of salt cod to swell, thereby speeding up the desalting process.
Remove the fish from the brine and place into a recipient of cold water with a metal rack so that the fish doesn’t touch the bottom. Make sure that the salt cod is placed with the skin facing up so that the salt is eliminated more easily. Desalt for 36 hours, changing the water every 3 to 4 hours.
This recipe is recommended for salt cod of prime quality. However if an inferior quality is used, simply desalt in cold running water for 36 hours.
Remove the skin and carve out the hearts of the fillets.
Poach the fillets in the milk, flavored with the star anise. Remove with a slotted spoon, place in an earthenware dish and add some lemon juice and olive oil. Cover the dish and keep hot for 15 minutes to cook the fish gently.
This recipe was originally published in "Culinary Encyclopedia by Alain Ducasse" (Éditions Alain Ducasse). See all credits
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