If you’ve taken a look at any of the other blogs involving Catalan cuisine, you’ll recognize bacallà (bacalao) as the tasty cod fish unique to the Catalan region, thanks to its location on the rich Mediterranean coast. Bacallà/bacalao/salted cod fish goes great on toast, but is also the perfect ingredient to spice up a salad! The name of this delicious Catalan salad is derived from the verb esqueixar, meaning to shred, and I’m sure after reading the directions and preparing this simple yet filling dish, you can understand why!
Ingredients:
- Olive Oil
- Black Olives
- Ground Pepper
- Salt
- 4 tomatoes, chopped
- ½ kg salted cod fish (700 grams for 4 people)
Preparation:
Pull the cod apart using your hands, removing any bones in the process, and soak in cold water for about 40 minutes, changing the water every 15 minutes or so. Remove the cod fish from the water, squeeze gently, and put it on some paper towels so that it can dry out a bit. Place the cod in a bowl and stir together with black olives, tomato, & ground pepper (other variations include adding hardboiled egg, chopped garlic, green/red pepper and sliced onion). Finish by continuing to stir while adding a generous amount of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Serve immediately or leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to serve cold. Bon profit!
– Marisa
