Instead of using salt cod, a classic Portuguese ingredient that takes days to soak, New York City chef George Mendes of Aldea quick-cures fresh cod by standing it in kosher salt for only 10 minutes. He says cod is naturally soft and flaky ("as well as bland," he adds), so salting gives it a firmer texture and a more pronounced flavor. Best New Chef 2011: George Mendes Sustainable Seafood Recipes
How to Make It
Set the cod on a plate and cover all over with the salt. Let stand for exactly 10 minutes. Rinse off the salt and pat the cod dry.
Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the corn and cook for 2 minutes; drain and pat dry. Cut the kernels off the cobs. In a small skillet, toss the corn with the butter and lemon juice and season with white pepper. Cook until heated through, about 1 minute.
In a large, deep nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil. Dust the cod with Wondra flour and season with white pepper. Add the fish to the pan, skinned side down and cook over high heat until golden, about 4 minutes. Flip the cod and cook over moderate heat for 1 minute. Add the clams, garlic, cilantro and thyme and season with pepper. Add the wine, cover and cook over moderate heat until the clams open and the fish is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Discard the herb sprigs and any clams that do not open.
Rewarm the corn and spoon it into 4 shallow bowls. Top with the cod and sprinkle with the smoked paprika. Spoon the clams and broth all around and garnish with the parsley. Serve with crusty bread.
