Dominican Baked Cod with Creamy Taro, Sweet Peppers, and Cassava Flatbread Crust

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 400 °F / 200 °C. Lightly grease a baking dish with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil.

2. 2

   Place the salt cod in a pot with enough fresh water to cover it, bring to a gentle boil, drain, and repeat if needed to adjust the salt level. Flake it and set aside.

3. 3

   Place the white taro root in another pot with the 720 ml (3 cups) of water. Cook over medium heat until very tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain well.

4. 4

   While the taro cooks, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the red onion, sweet peppers, and garlic for 4 minutes.

5. 5

   Add the tomato, tomato paste, green olives, capers, half of the dried oregano, and the black pepper. Cook 3 more minutes until a thick sofrito forms.

6. 6

   Add the flaked cod to the sofrito and mix well. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes so it absorbs the flavors. Add the lemon juice and half of the fresh cilantro, stir, and remove from the heat.

7. 7

   Mash the hot cooked taro with the evaporated milk, butter, and the remaining dried oregano until creamy but still firm. If needed, add 1 extra tablespoon of evaporated milk if it seems too dry.

8. 8

   Spread the creamy taro evenly in the baking dish. Top with the cod sofrito mixture.

9. 9

   Mix the coarse cassava flatbread crumbs with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and scatter them over the cod. Then sprinkle the grated semi-hard cheese on top.

10. 10

    Bake for 18 to 20 minutes at 400 °F / 200 °C, until the cheese is melted and the top is golden. For a deeper crust, broil for 2 to 3 additional minutes at 450 °F / 230 °C, watching closely.

11. 11

    Remove from the oven, let rest for 5 minutes, and finish with the remaining fresh cilantro before serving.