Spiced Corn and Salt Cod (or Other Fish or Crab)
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Makes 4 servings 1x
Time 45 minutes with rehydrated cod or fresh
Ingredients
- 8 ears fresh corn
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 2 or more whole dried red chiles (like cayenne, Thai, or serrano)
- 3 tablespoons peanut or other vegetable oil, plus more as needed
- 1 pound rehydrated salt cod or other fish (or crab), cut into big chunks or strips if necessary (see the recipe note)
- 1 white onion or several scallions
- 2 or 3 cloves garlic
- 1-inch fresh ginger
- 1 lime, halved
- Fresh cilantro for garnish (leaves and tender stems, flowers, and/or green seeds)
Instructions
- Husk the corn and cut the kernels from the cobs. You should have at least 6 cups. (Save the cobs for stock if you’d like.)
- Combine the turmeric, allspice, and nutmeg in a small bowl with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Taste and decide if you want a little more of anything. Strip the leaves from the rosemary and chop them. You should have about 1 tablespoon. Put the spice blend, herb, and chiles by the stove until you’re ready for them.
- Put 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish and when it starts to sizzle, lower the heat to medium and add the chiles. Cook, stirring only when you must to prevent burning, until the fish pieces dry and brown in places, 10 to 15 minutes. Use this time to chop the onion, garlic, and ginger.
- When the fish is ready, transfer it to a plate and return the pan to medium heat. Add a little oil to coat the bottom if necessary. Add the onions, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally until they soften and color a bit, 3 to 5 minutes. Add a big pinch of the spice blend, the rosemary, and the chiles and cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about a minute.
- Add the corn and stir until shiny and coated with spices. Adjust the heat so the vegetables sizzle without burning and cook, stirring frequently, until the corn is heated through. Taste and add more spices if you’d like and stir another minute to warm them. Return the fish to the skillet and squeeze in the lime juice. Stir until the liquid bubbles away, taste both the fish and corn and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot or at room temperature, garnished with the cilantro.
Recipe variations
Desalting process.
Though the desalting process takes some time, it is easy, and the results are worth it.
Salt cod is most often sold boneless, but if there are bones, remove them. Cut the meat into large pieces if necessary, and either:
- Soak the fish overnight, or up to 24 hours, changing the water at least four times, or
- Put the fish in a bowl under gently running (cold) water, which will do the trick in an hour or two.
When the water is no longer salty, you’re ready to continue. Then poach the fish for about 15 minutes or so (add a clove of crushed garlic to the water if you like), or until tender.
Oddly, at this point, no matter how you cook the fish, it will need salt!
In this recipe, the amount of the spices you use depends on their potency, whether you grind them yourself, and your tastebuds. The best way to judge is to combine them in a small bowl with a little salt and pepper, taste and adjust the balance, and keep the blend handy by the stove so you can add, taste, and adjust as you finish the dish. The quantities here might be a little more than you need.