Baccala Mantecato ~ Whipped Salt Cod Spread

Steps

1. REHYDRATE & DESALT THE BACCALA: First, rinse the baccala well under running water to remove any surface salt. Then, soak it for 2 to 3 days to rehydrate it and pull most of the salt out of it. Immerse the baccala (can be cut down into smaller pieces) in a large bowlful of cold water to cover by a couple inches, cover and place it in the refrigerator. Ideally, prop it up on something, like a small, upside-down bowl, in the soaking container so the salt, as it dissolves off the fish, sinks to the bottom, and doesn’t remain in contact with the fish. Change the water at least twice daily.
2. Once the baccala has soaked for 2 days or so, check if it is sufficiently desalted by taste-testing a bit of the soaking water.  If it seems really salty, change the water again and let it soak a bit more. Keep in mind that you can always add salt to the recipe later, but you cannot fix salty cod once it has been mixed with other ingredients. Be patient and allow yourself enough time for this soaking process.
3. Once the baccala has finished soaking, rinse it under cold running water and cut it down into 2-3” chunks. (Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)
4. COOK BACCALA: Place the rehydrated baccala chunks in a pot and cover with milk. Add the smashed garlic cloves, peppercorns and bay leaves and stir lightly. (Place the peppercorns and bay leaves in a sachet if you have one as they will need to be removed and discarded later.) Place pot over medium-low heat and bring to a light simmer/poach. Keep a close watch so that the milk does not boil over and burn!
5. Cook until the salt cod flakes easily, about 15 minutes or so. (Actual time will vary and depends on the size of the fish pieces.) Skim the simmering liquid as needed during the cooking process.
6. Reserve about ½ cup or so of the milk in case it’s needed later (you may not need it), then strain the cooked baccala mixture in a colander or strainer. Discard the bay leaves and peppercorns but leave the cooked garlic. Examine the fish and remove/discard any residual silver skin or pin bones.
7. Let the cooked fish/garlic cool slightly then transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment or to a large bowl. Add fresh lemon juice, minced garlic and ground black pepper. DO NOT ADD ANY SALT YET!
8. MIX: Starting on low speed, blend the ingredients in the stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Increase the speed gradually to completely break down the baccala. Slowly and gradually drizzle the olive oil into the bowl while mixing.
9. Continue mixing until the baccala has been completely broken down into shreds (see photos above) and all the olive oil has been incorporated/emulsified into the mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. If the mixture is very dry and needs a bit of moisture, add some of the reserved milk about 1 Tbsp at a time. (I did not need to do this.)(NOTE: In place of a stand mixer, you can use a wooden spoon, mortar and pestle (as in the traditional way of making pesto) or a food processor. A food processor, though, will puree the fish into a smooth consistency with less character and is not ideal or traditional. My choice after a stand mixer would be to use a wooden spoon and a large, sturdy bowl along with some elbow grease.)
10. At this point, it’s important to taste test a small amount of the baccala dip to see if it needs any salt. The reason that we want to wait until now to add any salt is because all salt cods are salted differently and there is likely some salt left in the cod even after soaking it. You may find that the mixture does not actually need any additional salt. (I added 1¼ tsp to my mix, fyi.)
11. Once you’ve taste tested and are happy with the level of seasoning, the baccala mantecato is finished. Transfer it to a serving dish and drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with some chopped chives or parsley, if desired. Serve with polenta crostini (as they do in Venice-see photo above) or with toasted bread, crackers, grissini or crudité and serve as a dip/spread. Buon Appetito!