Catalan Shredded Salt Cod Salad Recipes

BACCALA MANTECATO (SALT COD IN MILK SAUCE)

Steps:

• Put enough cold water to cover the fish in a pot with the fish, carrot, celery, and onion, and bring it to a boil over medium heat. As soon as the water boils, remove from the heat and let the pot stand for 5 minutes, then remove the fish with a skimmer and lay it on absorbent paper to drain and cool. When the baccala is cool enough to handle, remove all the bones, a necessarily manual operation. Do not remove the skin, however.
• Put the milk in a pan over low heat, and heat it until it is hot, taking care not to boil or burn it. Meanwhile, crumble the baccala by hand and put it in a bowl. Use a pestle to pulverize the fish, stopping every now and then to whisk in, alternately, trickles of oil and hot milk. Go back and forth between using the pestle and whisk. Continue to beat tirelessly; the process should take about 15 minutes. Salt is not normally necessary, but do add some black pepper. If the mixture gets too cold to mix well during the mashing, reheat it in a bain-marie until it is sufficiently malleable. You should also reheat it until it's warm when you are about to serve it. Accompany it with croutons of fried white bread or fried polenta.

CATALAN SHREDDED SALT COD SALAD

Steps:

• To prepare the salt cod, rinse it well and then immerse it in a container of cold water (cut into chunks, if necessary, to fit). Refrigerate, changing the soaking water 5 or 6 times, until softened and mild (24 to 48 hours, depending on how stiff and salty it was to begin with).
• Drain the cod, place it in a large saucepan with the onion and the bay leaves, and cover with cold water. Bring just to a boil, reduce the heat to very low, and cover (taste the water at this stage and, if it seems excessively salty, then drain, cover again with fresh cold water, and bring to a boil). Simmer very gently until the fish is opaque and plumped, and falls apart into heavy flakes when prodded, about 20 minutes. Drain, pat dry, and remove the bones and skin, if necessary. Separate into large flakes and use right away, or refrigerate for up to 2 days before continuing with the recipe.
• Drain and press the cod with your fingers to extract as much water as possible. Shred the cod by hand into thin strips and transfer it to a large bowl. Add the pepper rings, onion, and tomato to the bowl and toss together gently. In another bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, garlic, pepper, and if desired, a little salt (the salt cod is usually still quite salty; taste it to determine if the vinaigrette needs any salt). Whisk the vinaigrette together until thoroughly blended. Using your hands, toss the salad with the vinaigrette until all the ingredients are coated. Transfer the salad to a platter and garnish the edges with olives and wedges of hardboiled egg. Scatter the oregano over the dish.

AJOARRIERO - SPANISH SALT COD AND RED PEPPER SALAD

Steps:

• Prepare the salt cod.
• Soak the fish for at least 24 or as much as 48 hours, changing the water three to four times each day.
• When the cod has softened, remove any skin and bones.
• Shred the fish, tearing it into thin strips with your hands.
• Prepare the peppers.
• Char the peppers over an open flame (If you don't have a grill or a gas stove, you'll have to do this in the broiler--which requires care to avoid burning).
• Using tongs, turn the peppers frequently until the skin is blackened and blistered.
• Transfer the charred peppers to a brown paper bag, roll it closed and let the peppers sit in the bag for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Using a paring knife, carefully scrape the blackened skin away.
• Cut the peppers open, remove and discard the seeds and white membrane.
• Slice the peppers into strips or chunks.
• Prepare the potatoes.
• Peel the potatoes and cut them into chunks.
• Add them to a pan of rapidly boiling salted water.
• Cook, covered, for 10 to 12 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
• Drain.
• As soon as the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them about 1/4 inch thick into a salad bowl.
• While the potatoes are still warm, add three tablespoons of the oil, the vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.
• Prepare the salad.
• Add the shredded cod fish and the sliced pepper to the potatoes and toss gently.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for about an hour.
• When you are ready to serve, arrange the salad on a serving platter.
• Heat the remaining olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat.
• Add and brown the garlic slices.
• Pour this hot garlic and oil over the salad and serve.