Baccalà salad is a classic appetizer into several Italian regional cuisines, particularly in the Central-Southern areas. Yesterday I made a delicious and healthy Sicilian inspired cod salad with all the traditional flavors of the famous Italian Island! The sweet and sour "Agrodolce" sauce taste pairs perfectly with the typical briny flavor of Baccalà; green olives, pistachios, raisins, and sweet peppers enriched my salad: so different flavors! Furthermore, this recipe is very easy to make and delicious all year long, especially after a day spent on the beach, or as an appetizer during the main festivities!
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INGREDIENTS:
- 1 lb (450 g) Baccalà (salted cod)
- ½ medium red onion
- 4 sweet mini peppers
- 2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes. coarsely chopped
- 20 Castelvetrano green olives
- 2 tbsp capers in vinegar
- 2 tbsp raisin
- ¼ cup pistachios, shelled
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh mint, minced
- 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1.5 tbsp red vinegar
- 1 tbsp cane sugar
- To taste table salt
HISTORY OF EUROPEAN SALTED COD
The spanish Bacalao, is a traditional and ancient tecnique to preserve the cod into the Salt. Besides Spain, Bacalao is also very popular into the Portuguese and Italian cuisines, and called respectively Bacalhau and Baccalà. If you like to read the whole history and the legends behind Bacalao, click here!
HOW TO PREPARE THE BACCALÀ BEFORE COOKING
Before cooking the Baccalà, you want to discard the majority of the salt:
First, Cut the salted cod into large pieces.
Then, soak the pieces of salted cod in a bowl of material resistant to salt, best if glass or ceramic.
Now, Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and store into the fridge.
Replace the water into the bowl every 8-10 hours
After 24 hours, cut a little piece of salted cod and boil it for a minute, then taste to check if it is still too salty.
If the salted cod is still too salty, extend the soak 24 hours more, replacing the water every 8-10 hours.
Cook the cod immediately after soaking.
COOKING THE BACCALÀ
Depending on the recipe, the Baccalà requires different cooking times and techniques. For this baccalà salad, you want the fish poached into boiling water.
So, fill a pot with water and bring to boil. Then, pour the desalted Baccalà pieces into the boiling water, and cook 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the pieces thickness. Finally, raise the fish and shred the meat into small pieces. Finally, season the cod with a splash of olive oil and store in the fridge, covered.
PREPARING THE VEGETABLES
First, sift the capers, and soak them into water. Then, dip the raisins into a bowl full of water as well.
Now, reduce the half onion into thin slices.
At this point, cut the mini sweet peppers into halves, discard the stems and seeds, and white parts, then slice the peppers finely.
Then, chop the sun-dried tomatoes coarsely (if you want to make them homemade, here my recipe!).
Finally, mince the parsley and mint leaves, then soak the herbs mixture into 4 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil.
AGRODOLCE SAUCE
Now, pour 1 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tbsp of cane sugar and 1tbsp of water into a saucepan and place over low heat until the sugar starts to melt, then add the vinegar and raise the flame 1 minute.
At this point, add the onions and sauté a couple of minutes, stirring frequently: you want the onions a little bit soft, but still crunchy. Then add the capers, the raisin, and the sweet peppers. Sautè a couple of minutes more, then salt lightly considering the bold flavor of Baccalà and place far from the flame.
RESTING AND SERVING BACCALÀ SALAD
Now, in a bowl combine the shredded Baccalà with the Agrodolce sauce. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and the minced herbs including the olive where you soak them. Cover or wrap the bowl, then store in the fridge at least 8 hours up to a couple of days.
Serve the Baccalà salad slightly cold or at room temperature.
Did you like these recipe? please click here, leave a comment and vote 5 stars!
This simple action help the growth of this blog and make me very happy 🙂
PRINTABLE RECIPE
- 1 lb (450 g) Baccalà (salted cod)
- ½ medium red onion
- 4 sweet mini peppers
- 2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes. coarsely chopped
- 20 Castelvetrano green olives
- 2 tbsp capers in vinegar
- 2 tbsp raisin
- ¼ cup pistachios, shelled
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh mint, minced
- 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1.5 tbsp red vinegar
- 1 tbsp cane sugar
- to taste table salt
- HOW TO PREPARE THE BACCALÀ BEFORE COOKING
Before cooking the Baccalà, you want to discard the majority of the salt:
First, Cut the salted cod into large pieces.
Then, soak the pieces of salted cod in a bowl of material resistant to salt, best if glass or ceramic.
Now, Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and store into the fridge.
Replace the water into the bowl every 8-10 hours.
After 24 hours, cut a little piece of salted cod and boil it for a minute, then taste to check if it is still too salty.
If the salted cod is still too salty, extend the soak 24 hours more, replacing the water every 8-10 hours.
Cook the cod immediately after soaking. - COOKING THE BACCALÀ
Depending on the recipe, the Baccalà requires different cooking times and techniques. For this recipe, you want Baccalà poached into boiling water.
So, fill a pot with water and bring to boil. Then, pour the desalted Baccalà pieces into the boiling water, and cook 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the pieces thickness. Finally, raise the fish and shred the meat into small pieces. Finally, season the cod with a splash of olive oil and store in the fridge, covered. - PREPARING THE VEGETABLES
First, sift the capers, and soak them into water. Then, dip the raisins into a bowl full of water as well.
Now, reduce the half onion into thin slices.
At this point, cut the mini sweet peppers into halves, discard the stems and seeds, and white parts, then slice the peppers finely.
Then, chop the sun-dried tomatoes coarsely.
Finally, mince the parsley and mint leaves, then soak the herbs mixture into 4 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil. - AGRODOLCE SAUCE
Now, pour 1 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tbsp of cane sugar and 1tbsp of water into a saucepan and place over low heat until the sugar starts to melt, then add the vinegar and raise the flame 1 minute.
At this point, add the onions and sauté a couple of minutes, stirring frequently: you want the onions a little bit soft, but still crunchy. Then add the capers, the raisin, and the sweet peppers. Sautè a couple of minutes more, then salt lightly considering the bold flavor of Baccalà and place far from the flame. - RESTING AND SERVING BACCALÀ SALAD
Now, in a bowl combine the shredded Baccalà with the Agrodolce sauce. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and the minced herbs including the olive where you soak them. Cover or wrap the bowl, then store in the fridge at least 8 hours up to a couple of days.
Serve the Baccalà salad slightly cold or at room temperature.
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS!
VENETIAN SALTED COD (Baccalà mantecato)
WOW! Great job! The result looks so powerful. It seems that I’ve just fallen in love with this salad! Such a great appetizer! I have no doubts the ingredients really work together and create an amazing meal. This could definitely be delicious all year long.
Thank you so much for sharing this idea and all of your useful tips. They’ll surely help me and your readers avoid mistakes. Look forward to your new awesome recipes.
p.s. I’m so lucky to have discovered your blog. Learned so much new info. Keep it up!
Thank you Ann!
Happy cooking 🙂
F.