Slow cooker bacala in a tomato-caper sauce

Written by on in Dinner, Side Dish, Uncategorized

The Feast of the Seven Fishes is a traditional Christmas Eve feast. We have at least 7 fishes, but usually more. This year, we had bacala two ways – slow cooker bacala in a tomato caper sauce and fried bacala recipe (https://cookingupjustice.com/feast-of-the-seven-fishes-fried-bacala-cod/). Because the bacala cod is a salted fish, you need to start the de-salination process three days before.

Slow cooker bacala in a tomato-caper sauce
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Slow cooker bacala in a tomato-caper sauce

Recipe by The Cooking LawyerCourse: DinnerCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy
Servings

12

servings
Prep time

20

minutes
Cooking time

1

hour 
Total time

1

hour 

20

minutes

Ingredients

  • 1-2 lbs. piece of bacala (salted cod)

  • 32 oz. can of San Marzano Tomatoes

  • 1 onion, sliced thin

  • 1 leek, slice thin

  • 2 TBS capers

  • 2 TBS kalamata olives

  • Non-stick cooking oil

  • 1 gallon of milk (or water)

  • Handful of parsley, chopped

Directions

  • Three days before
  • In a large bowl with a lid, add the cod and fill with milk or water making sure the cod is fully covered.
  • Cover with the lid, and place in the refrigerator.
  • Every 12 hours, change the water or milk.
  • Day before (for make ahead) or same day
  • Slice the leek thin, and add to a bowl with cold water.
  • Let soak for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to remove any sediment.
  • Change the water, and let soak for another ten minutes.
  • Rinse the leeks.
  • Dry the leeks completely – I like to use my salad spinner.
  • Slice the onion thin.
  • Add both the onions and leeks into a large pot with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Sauté and sweat down the onions and leeks until translucent, about five to ten minutes.
  • Add the can of San Marzano tomatoes.
  • Cook for about 20 minutes on low heat stirring occasionally.
  • Add the olives and capers. Cook for another ten minutes.
  • At this point, you can put the sauce away until you are ready to cook the fish.
  • Day of instructions
  • In base of slow cooker, add the tomato-caper sauce.
  • Cut the cod into small pieces trying to get the pieces as even as possible (the thickness of the cod varies – if you are also making the fried bacala, then you can use the thicker pieces for the fried fish and use the thinner pieces for the slow cooker).
  • Add the cod into the base of the slow cooker.
  • Cook on low for 1 hour.
  • You can leave it on warm for when your guests are ready for dinner.
  • When ready to serve, garnish with chopped parsley.

Notes

  • I usually make this dish right before my guests arrive, but I am always running out of time. So this year, I tried making it ahead and placing in the slow cooker. It was a great time saver.

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