Baccalà Mantecato alla Veneziana

Ingredients

• 500 g dried stockfish
• 1 bay leaf
• 250 ml mild extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed to a paste (optional)
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• fine salt and white pepper
• 400 g cooked polenta, cooled and set

Before you cook

• Soak the stockfish in a large bowl of cold water in the fridge for 3 days, changing the water twice a day.
• Drain the soaked fish and cut it into large pieces.
• Cut the cold set polenta into finger-thick slices.

Steps

1. Put the stockfish in a wide pan, cover it with cold water and drop in the bay leaf.
2. Bring the water to a bare simmer and poach the fish for 20 minutes, until it flakes at the touch of a fork.
3. Lift the fish out and leave it until it is cool enough to handle.
4. Pull off the skin and pick out every bone with your fingers.
5. Put the flaked fish into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle.
6. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes to break the fish down into fibres.
7. Pour in the olive oil in a very thin stream, beating all the time, exactly as if making mayonnaise.
8. Keep beating for 15 minutes, until the mixture is pale, fluffy and holds a soft peak.
9. Beat in the garlic if you are using it, then season with salt, white pepper and the parsley.
10. Grill the polenta slices on a hot ridged pan for 3 minutes a side, until marked and crisp.
11. Spoon the creamed cod onto the warm polenta and serve straight away.