SERVES 4
During Lent, the number of salt cod dishes you find on tables flourishes. This rather baroque one comes from the grandmother of a Catalan friend in Torreló, a village at the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains north of Vic. Àvia Lola—Grandma Lola (short for Dolores)—prepares this on her saint’s day, El Viernes de Dolores, the Friday before Easter Sunday. Making the dish over the last few years, I have found that it is key, after soaking the salt cod, to drain it very well, ideally overnight, to keep any salty moisture from seeping into the sweet tomato sofrito at the very end of cooking.
1. Beginning 2 to 3 days ahead, desalt the cod following the directions on page 341. Do not remove the skin. Drain in a colander skin-side up for at least 6 or 8 hours. Pat dry with paper towels. There should be about 1¾ pounds/800 g of desalted fillets.
2. In a cazuela, heavy casserole, large sauté pan, or deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Lightly dredge the cod in flour and fry until golden and not yet flaking apart, about 4 minutes total, turning once. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
3. In the same oil, prepare a sofrito with the onion, garlic, and tomatoes, following the directions on page 39. When the sofrito is ready, stir in the wine, parsley, and ¼ cup/60 ml water and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Add a bit more water if needed to keep it moist and slightly loose.
4. Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to a boil and drop in the raisins. Boil for 5 minutes and then drain.
5. Gently place the salt cod skin-side down into the sofrito, reduce the heat to low, and let it slowly cook until opaque throughout, about 10 minutes. The final consistency of the sofrito should be quite moist; dribble in water as needed during cooking.
6. Sprinkle the raisins and the pine nuts over the fish. Serve the salt cod garnished with the hard-boiled eggs.