Very simple Salt Cod Salad

Not long ago, I blogged about  a salt cod (Bacalhau) stew recipe that I got from a co worker.   She also gave me a salt cod salad recipe. 

Basically, she said to:

o  Soak the salt cod and throw out the water.

o  Boil the salt cod for 15 minutes.

o  Cut the fish into pieces.

o  Add Spanish onions, tomatoes, sliced hard boiled eggs.

o  Add extra virgin olive oil

o  Add vinegar

o  Mix the ingredients

o  Eat right away or refridgerate.

What an easy and tasty salad to make.  From the photos you can see that I didn’t even bother to slice the eggs.  Normally, one uses apple cider vinegar but I felt like using balsamic vinegar.  Tasted really good.  I made the salad several times and each time added something different like Bell peppers, lettuce, avocado and capers.

Below’s a more detailed Salt Cod Salad recipe from Stephen Cooks. 

 Serenata de Bacalao (Salt Cod Seranade Salad)

Ingredients

1lb salt cod

2 yellow onions, sliced in crescents

2 sweet peppers, red or green, sliced in crescents

2 tomatoes, sliced in crescents

2 Cups shredded lettuce (or cabbage)

2 ripe avocado, sliced

2 boiling potatoes, boiled, sliced

olive oil

red wine vienegar

salt and pepper to taste

(optional:  hard cooked eggs, sliced capers)

 Directions

Desalt the cod by soaking in water to cover, refrigerated, for 3 days, changing the water one to three times a day.  Cut the cod into chunks about 1" square and place in a pan with water to cover.  Bring to boil and cook for 3 minutes.  Drain and rinse.  When cooled, flake the fish.

Arrange the vegetables and fish on a bed of the lettuce and drizzle with oil and venegar to taste.  Season with salt and pepper.

Salt Cod Salad, a little bit fancier

 "What’s that supposed to be?" asked my sister when she spied the above photo as I posted it.

Ummm… Well, I know that it’s not the world’s best photo but it’s supposed to be Bacalhau stew (salt cod stew).  Thankyouverymuch.  

I made this stew after talking to a lady at work who is very popular for cooking Latin dishes for offices parties.  Her food is so good that it one of the first dishes to finish when served.  I don’t remember how we got on the topic of Bacalhau but she mentioned how easy it was to prepare.  The more she spoke about it, the more intrigured and hungrier I became. 

"Just soak the bacalhau.  Then when you get home from work, fry some onions in olive oil, add tomatoes, red bell pepper, chopped cilantro, half a can of tomato sauce, and the bacalhau.  Add a little bit of water.  Cook the fish and you have your stew.  You can serve it with veggies or rice."  She didn’t give me any measurements or amounts.

Enticed, still, at the end of the day, before I headed home, I stopped at the supermarket and bought some bacalhau and soaked it.  The next day, after work, I prepared it according to my loose instructions.  Since she hadn’t given me any amounts, I guessed.  I got stuck when it was time for me to add the water.  I had no idea how much to add.  Turned out that I’d added too much (Turns out that I was supposed add a little water — about two or three tablespoons and no more.  Also turns out that I should have used half a small can of tomato sauce.). 

I’m pleased to write that the outcome wasn’t bad at all.  Served with white rice, my bacalhau stew tasted pretty good.  You can see from the photo that I garnished my stew with what else?  My favorite — cilantro.  Yes! 

Paz