Salt Cod

Bacalao Ajo Arriero

Type of Dish:

Main Meals

Approx. Preparation Time:

About 45 minutes

Difficulty:

Child's Play

Serves:

4 people

So now that you know much of what there is to know about salt cod, it's time you tried to cook with it. Here's a simple recipe that has been popular for many years. It is often referred to as mule driver's salt cod as travellers have carried salt cod in their pockets for centuries. Be sure to buy middle cut salt cod with a clean, creamy colour and no sign of pink along the bone. If the fish is very white then it will have been artificially bleached.

List of Ingredients:

250 grams of salt cod

150 mils of olive oil

4 red peppers, deseeded and cut into ribbons

1 whole garlic head, separated into cloves

2-3 dried chillies, deseeded and finely chopped

1 tablespoon of black olives

Preparation Instructions:

Soak the fish for one day and one night. Change the water several times. Skin, bone and flake the fish into small pieces using your fingers. Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy frying pan and fry the pepper ribbons and the garlic cloves which you can either peel or not to suit you. Fry the garlic until it softens and is golden. Fry the peppers until they are a little caramelized. This will take between 15 and 20 minutes. Remove and reserve. Wipe the pan to remove all but a fine coating of oil, and reheat until smoking. Drop the cod flakes into the pan and fry fiercely until the edges curl and crisp a little, about 3-4 minutes should suffice. Then toss the fish and the vegetables together and complete by sprinkling chilli and some olives. Serve at room temperature.

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