Ensalada de Naranja y Bacalao (Spanish Orange and Salt Cod Salad)

About This Recipe

This salad comes from southern Spain, where salt cod (bacalao) has long been a pantry staple thanks to its long shelf life, and its salty, savory flake pairs surprisingly well against the sweetness of fresh orange. The salt cod must be soaked and rinsed over a day or two to remove excess salt before being flaked raw or lightly poached, then tossed with orange segments, thin red onion, and briny black olives. Dressed with nothing more than good olive oil and sometimes a touch of vinegar, this is a salad built on contrast — sweet and salty, soft and firm — rather than a complicated dressing, and it's traditionally served as a light starter or tapa.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 300 gsalt cod (bacalao)
• 4navel oranges
• 1/2red onion(thinly sliced)
• 1/2 cupblack olives
• 1/4 cupextra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbspsherry vinegar
• 2 tbspchopped parsley

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the salt cod

   Soak the salt cod in cold water for 24-36 hours, changing the water 3-4 times, until it's no longer overly salty when tasted.

2. 2

   Poach and flake

   Poach the desalted cod in simmering water for 5 minutes until just cooked, then drain, cool, and flake into pieces, removing any bones or skin.

3. 3

   Segment the oranges

   Peel the oranges fully, removing all pith, and cut into segments over a bowl to catch the juice.

4. 4

   Combine

   Toss orange segments, flaked cod, red onion and olives together gently.

5. 5

   Dress

   Drizzle with olive oil and sherry vinegar, and scatter with parsley.

   Dress lightly — the salt cod already brings plenty of savoriness, so the dressing should stay simple.

6. 6

   Serve

   Serve chilled or at room temperature as a starter or tapa.

Variations

• •

  Some versions add thinly sliced hard-boiled egg for extra richness.

• •

  A version from Malaga (remojon) is very similar and sometimes includes boiled potato.

• •

  Fresh flaked white fish can substitute if salt cod isn't available, though the flavor will be milder.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 2 days in an airtight container; dress just before serving if making ahead, so the orange doesn't release too much juice into the olives and onion.

Frequently Asked Questions