Grand Aioli - Salt Cod with Blanched Vegetables and Aioli

For the salt cod Soak the salt cod for 24 hours changing the water frequently. Bring the cod, bay leaf, onion and milk to a boil in a shallow pan. Once boiling, remove from heat and leave to rest for 15 minutes. Do not boil for too long as this will make the fish tough. Once cool, tear the cod into smaller chunks. Discard poaching liquid.

To blanch the beans In a large pot, bring about one gallon of water to a boil. Add 1/2 cup of salt and 1/2 cup of sugar. Adding salt and sugar to the water helps to keep the beans green as they blanch. Add the beans and reduce to a simmer. Cook for four to five minutes until just tender. While the beans are cooking, prepare another bowl with 1/2 gallon of cold water. Lift the beans out of the hot water and transfer immediately to the cold water bath to stop them from cooking. Set aside.

To cook the carrots Add the carrots to the same water used to cook the beans. Simmer until tender (about 15 mins). Lift the carrots out and add them to the same bowl of cold water.

To cook the artichokes Artichokes oxidize and discolor quickly when cut, so working quickly is essential. To slow down the discoloring, fill a bowl with 1 quart of water and add the juice of one squeezed lemon. The lemon juice will turn the water slightly acidic and slow the oxidation process.

Snap off the large leaves from the artichoke to reveal the lighter colored flesh underneath. For small artichokes with thin stems, trim the stem to about 1 inch from the base of the bulb with a sharp paring knife, and then peel the stem. For large artichokes, do the same but leave less of the stem. If the artichoke is large enough it will have a fluffy center called a choke (Baby artichokes will not have one). The choke must be removed, but I prefer to do it after cooking is complete, to further reduce the amount of discoloring.

Chop cross-ways across the choke about half way down from the top. This should leave you with the base of the bulb and the stem. Trim around the outer edges of the bulb to clean up any tough bits. By the time you are done, you will have revealed the soft inner flesh and discarded anything tough and unpalatable (which is ironically most of it). Rub the choke all over with the squeezed lemon and immerse it in the lemon water. Now continue with the next artichoke.

You do not need to use the heavily salted and sugared water. However since you have it already there, you may as well use it. Add the artichokes to the blanching water and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until tender. Remove and add them to the bowl of vegetables in cold water. Once cool enough to handle, scoop out the fluffy choke from the center of each artichoke with a teaspoon to leave a smooth clean center.

To cook the potatoes Add the potatoes to a small pot and cover with water. Add 1 teaspoon salt and heat over medium heat until barely simmering. Cook for about 20 to 30 mins until they are tender. Do not allow the water to boil or this will cause the potatoes to break up. Once cooked, drain the water and set aside. If the potatoes are big, you may consider cutting them in half at this point.

To hard boil eggs Place the eggs into a small pot, and fill with water until just covered. Over medium heat, bring the water to a boil and boil gently for 2 minutes. During this 2 minutes, stir the eggs, as this will help the yokes center themselves within the whites. After 2 minutes, cover the pot with a lid, remove from heat and sit for 10 minutes. The eggs will now be hard boiled. Transfer eggs to cold water, peel immediately, cut each egg in half and set aside. Cooking eggs in this way creates a creamier yolk than with straight boiling. Do not let the eggs sit too long or the yolks will develop a most disagreeable green tint.

To serve In the blanching water, heat all the vegetables until they are a little above warm so that by the time they are served, they are the perfect temperature for eating. If the potatoes are completely cold, you may wish to add them to the water first as they will require a little more heating. Present the cod, warmed vegetables and eggs on a single platter. Serve a bowl of the aioli on the side.