Salt Cod with Hot Peppers and Garlic Recipe

Soak the salt cod in cold water to cover for 18 to 24 hours, or until it is swollen. Change the water at least 3 times, adding milk for last soaking. Rinse the cod; cut into 8 pieces of approximately equal size. Pick out any bones; remove the scales but not the skin. (The skin has much of the gelatin needed to enrich the sauce as well as to add flavor.) Lay each piece of fish on a kitchen towel–lined plate and keep refrigerated for up to 8 hours until ready to cook. About half an hour before serving, place the pieces of cod, skin side down, in a shallow 10-inch round flameproof earthenware cooking dish, or substitute an enameled cast-iron skillet. Pour the olive oil over the cod, add the garlic, and set over low heat (if cooking in earthenware, use a flame tamer or trivet to protect the pot from cracking). Cook for 30 minutes. During this time shake the dish or skillet often so that juices exuded from the fish mix with the oil. Do not turn the fish pieces over, but do move them around a bit so that they do not stick to the bottom of the pan. From time to time tilt the pan and baste the fish with the simmering pan juices. Just before serving, raise the heat and bring almost to a boil. Add the peppers and parsley and swirl the juices in the skillet to combine the flavors and lightly reduce the liquid. The result should be a smooth, blended sauce. Serve hot directly from the skillet or transfer to individual serving plates.