2 pounds salt cod 3 hard-cooked eggs, cut crosswise
3 T butter into ¼-inch-thick slices
2 T flour 6 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and
1 tsp dry mustard boiled
1 c milk 6 medium-sized beets, boiled and
¼ tsp salt peeled
1/8 tsp ground white pepper 12 small carrots, scraped and boiled
6 thin 1-by-3-inch slices lean 1 rutabaga peeled, quartered, cut
salt pork crosswise into ½-inch-thick
slices and boiled
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Starting a day ahead, place the cod in a glass, stainless-steel or
enameled bowl, cover it with cold water and soak for at least 12 hours,
changing the water 3 or 4 times. Drain the cod and rinse under cold running
water. Place the cod in a saucepan and add enough fresh water to cover it
by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. (Taste the water. If it seems
very salty, drain, cover the cod with fresh water, and bring to a boil.)
reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, or until the
fish flakes easily when prodded with a fork. Drain and cut the fish into
2-by-4-inch pieces. In a heavy 1- to 2-quart saucepan, melt the butter over
moderate heat. When the foam begins to subside, stir in the flour and
mustard and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and, stirring constantly with
a whisk, cook over high heat until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens
heavily. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 3 minutes to remove the raw
taste of flour. Then add the salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning.In a heavy 8- to 10-inch skillet, fry the salt pork over moderate heat, turning the slices frequently until the pork is crisp and brown on both sides. Transfer it to paper towels to drain and discard the fat in the skillet. Mound the cod on a heated platter and pour the sauce over it. Place the hard-cooked egg slices on top of the fish, arrange the pork slices, potatoes, beets, carrots and rutabaga pieces around it and serve at once. Serves 6.
NOTE: This recipe does NOT address the preparation of the hot vegetables! You will notice that this recipe calls for the vegetables to be boiled in advance of this recipe. For the preparation of the vegetables, see the index table for the recipe for "The Homestead Inn's New England Boiled Dinner," and follow the directions in that recipe for preparing the beets, potatoes, carrots and rutabaga.
