Ingredients
For 4 persons
For the bacalao you will need:
- 500 grs bacalao in cubes of 125 grs. each
- 1 l water
- 1/2 leek
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 small onion
- a pinch of bay leaves
- 2 stalks of spring onion
- salt
For the crunchy polenta and spicy sausage you will need:
- 125 grs instant polenta
- 330 ml chicken stock
- 295 ml milk
- 62 grs butter
- salt and pepper
- 100 grs spicy sausage, already cooked
- olive oil for frying
For the creamed cheese you will need:
- 600 ml dairy cream
- 250 grs hard cheese, shredded
- salt and pepper
(The original recipe has Chistorra sausage and Idiázabal cheese)
For the cider syrup you will need:
- 100 grs sugar
- 250 ml apple cider
In addition you will need:
- fresh chives, minced
- bamboo steamer
Preparation
The crunchy polenta and spicy sausage:
Put the stock and the milk in a casserole and when it starts to boil pour in the polenta. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring all the time until you have a thick, homogeneous mass.
Add the sausage and the butter, season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Spread the polenta out in a buttered pan to a thickness of approx. 2 cm, cover with cling film and cool for 24 hours.
The creamed cheese:
Heat the cream and the cheese in a saucepan over a low fire. Take care not to let it come to a boil. When the cheese is melted, remove from the fire. Beat with an electric mixer until the preparation is smooth and homogeneous. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
The cider syrup:
Make a light caramel with the sugar, moisten with the apple cider and let it boil until the consistence of a syrup is reached. Cool and put into a squeeze bottle. Set aside.
The bacalao:
In a saucepan into which the bamboo steamer fits, put the water and the fairly roughly chopped onion-garlic-leek mix. Add the salt and the aromatic herbs, let come to a boil.
Put the steamer, with the bacalao cubes well arranged in it, into the saucepan, cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, keeping the onion mix broth just simmering.
Finishing touches and presentation
Cut the polenta into rectangles of 2×3 cm. Dust each with flour and fry as you would a croquette until golden. When the bacalao is done, remove it from the steamer and drain on a dishcloth.
Put two cubes of polenta into a deep dish and arrange the bacalao on top. Serve the previously aerated creamed cheese as a sauce, and finish with a few touches of cider syrup and minced chives.
