Baccalà alla Livornese (Livornese cod)

For ➍

800 g cod (with skin) *

1 can of fresh tomatoes (better pulp) **

2 cloves garlic

1 chopped onion

3 tbs extra virgin olive oil

20 black pitted olives *

 parsley

120 g flour

Cut the cod into pieces of 2 by 3 cm without removing the skin, rub them in the flour and then fry them in the cooking oil. When the cod has taken color, take them out of the pan and dry with kitchen paper.

In a pan, fry the onion and garlic until golden brown, then mix in the tomatoes and fry for 15 m over medium heat. 

Add the parsley, olives and cod and cook for another 7-8 m, season with salt and pepper.

Serve with pasta e.g. linguini.

* if you buy salted cod, leave in the fridge for at least 2 nights but replace the water every 12 h so that most of the salt goes out

** or use good fresh San Marzano tomatoes, peeled & pitted, with the tomato juice saved

*** bake the olives bake in the oven to obtain a stronger flavor

Pollo arrosto all'arancia, limone, e zenzero (Jewish chicken with orange, lemon & ginger)

For ➍
1 lemon
1 roasting chicken, about 2.5 kg
grated zest 1 lemon + lemon cut into quarters
grated zest of 1 orange + orange cut into quarters
3 tbs peeled & grated fresh ginger root
salt & freshly ground black pepper
5 tbs margarine, melted, or olive oil
4 tbs fresh lemon juice*
10 cl fresh orange juice
3 tbs honey
orange sections for garnish

Preheat an oven to 190°C. Cut the lemon into quarters. Rub the outside of the chicken with one of the lemon quarters, then discard. In a small bowl, stir together the lemon and orange zests and 1 tbs of the grated ginger. Rub this mixture evenly in the cavity. Put the lemon and orange quarters inside the bird. Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper. In the now-empty small bowl, combine the melted margarine or olive oil, lemon and orange juices, honey, and the remaining 2 tbs ginger. Mix well.
Place the chicken in the oven and roast, basting with the citrus juice mixture at least 4 times during cooking, until the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a knife, about 1 h.
Transfer to a serving platter and let rest for 10 to 15 m.
Carve the chicken. Garnish with orange sections.

* Use 4 tbs pomegranate juice in place of the lemon juice.
**Roast in a Dutch oven for about 1 h /kg.

Ginger arrived in Italy with Arabic traders or North African Jewish immigrants, so it's likely that this is a Sicilian or Livornese recipe. Most Italians would use ground ginger.