The second Sunday in May calls for celebration, comforting food and quality family time, which doesn’t go well with hours wasted scrubbing pots and pans. The tradition of cod, an absolute classic on Brazilian tables, gains an incredibly tasty version here that is much kinder to the chef in question. For those who tirelessly search for practical Mother’s Day lunch recipes made in one pan so as not to make the kitchen dirty, this preparation solves the menu with great elegance. The grain’s natural starch mixes with rich olive oil and fish broth, creating a fragrant dish that doesn’t need complex accompaniments and goes straight from the stove to the center of the table.
What you will need for the main dish
Choosing good ingredients is what guarantees the success of a unique dish. Give preference to one wide pan with thick bottomlike a casserole or iron pan, which distributes heat evenly and accommodates the whole family.
- 3 cups of needle rice, washed and drained
- 600g desalted cod shredded into thick flakes
- 1 large onion chopped into very small cubes
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed or chopped
- Half a cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup pitted black olives
- 2 ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded, chopped
- 1 red pepper cut into thin strips
- 6 cups of boiling water
- Chopped green chives to taste (parsley and chives)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to make the recipe step by step
The great charm of this preparation is the overlap of flavors. When cooking everything in the same container, the ingredients exchange aromas with each otherresulting in a rich and full-bodied meal.
1. The construction of flavor in the braise
Place your large pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and, once it heats up slightly, add the chopped onion. Stir continuously until it become transparent and slightly golden. Then add the crushed garlic and red pepper, sautéing for another two minutes to release the essential oils at the base of the pan.
2. Sealing the cod and grain
Add the desalted cod chips to the stew. Mix gently to don’t break up the fish too much. Let the cod brown lightly for three minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and raw needle rice. Add all the grains to the seasoned oil at the bottom of the pan, frying the rice for about a minute until the tips of the grains are shiny.
3. Cooking just right
Pour the boiling water over the mixture, which should sizzle when it comes into contact with the hot bottom. Add the black olives. Taste the broth carefully and adjust salt if necessaryremembering that cod already brings its own salinity. Season with black pepper, lower the heat to minimum intensity and let it cook with the pan semi-covered.
4. Finishing with fresh herbs
When the water is almost dry and small holes form on the surface of the rice, turn off the stove. Pour all the fresh green chilli on top, cover the pan completely and let the plate rest in silence for exactly five minutes before taking it to the table.
The secret to keeping rice from turning into mush
The biggest fear when cooking meats and grains together is losing texture. To ensure that your lunch is moist enough, without turning into a soggy block, the tip is to turn off the heat slightly before after the end of cooking. When you notice that there is still a hint of shiny moisture in the pan, turn off the flame. The five minutes of rest with the lid closed will allow the residual steam to finish cooking the grain, leaving the dish loose and velvety in appearance.
How to save leftovers for the next day
If the family doesn’t devour it all on Sunday, storage is quite simple. Transfer leftovers to a glass jar with airtight lid and place in the refrigerator as soon as the food has cooled, guaranteeing a shelf life of up to three days. When reheating on Monday, place the rice in a pan, add two tablespoons of water or a generous drizzle of olive oil and stir over low heat. This returns the original moisture without drying out the cod.
To accompany the main meal, serve a salad of very fresh green leaves seasoned with lemon and olive oil. In the glass, a chilled white wine completes the menu with a flourish and guarantees a worthy and worry-free toast. Bon appétit and excellent celebration.
