For several years I admit to having little appreciation for cod due to some wrong memories from when I was a child! Like many, I had the mistaken tendency to associate it with stockfish, also known as dried cod or simply stock, which is the white northern cod preserved by natural air drying without the use of salt. In reality, their substantial difference does not come from the raw material which is always the same, that is, the cod, but from the preservation method since baccalà is instead preserved in salt! After this necessary preamble, my mother often cooked it because it apparently pleased my father very much, while I detested its strong and wild smell. I struggled to eat it without being able to appreciate the taste! Then over time, I rediscovered it during the catering test for my wedding and since then I have understood that the ways in which it can be cooked are countless and make all the difference! Today I want to propose it here simply as a salad and then show how versatile it can be with other even tastier and more surprising recipes! It is a fresh, light, and delicate sea base dish that can be served all year round, at lunch or dinner, both as a second course and as an appetizer for Christmas Eve or other occasions! Prepared this way it will conquer all your guests!
If you have a passion for fish-based recipes, also try these delicious and scenic ideas to enrich your occasion tables:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 2 lbs desalted cod
- 2/3 cup white wine
- 4 juniper berries
- A few stalks parsley
- 2 slices lemon
- to taste salt
- 1 large blonde orange (or 2 small ones)
- 5 green olives
- 5 black olives
- 1 bunch parsley
- to taste marjoram
- 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsps lemon juice
- to taste salt
- to taste mixed peppercorns
Tools
⚠ THIS RECIPE CONTAINS ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; buying them through my blog helps support me and my work, while it won’t cost you anything extra!
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Slotted spoon
- 1 Knife
- 1 Salad bowl
- Paper towel
- 1 Colander
Steps
To make this dish, start with already soaked and desalted cod. Rinse it under running water one last time, then dry it with a paper towel and, using a suitable fish knife, cut it into pieces.
Fill a saucepan halfway with water, lightly salt it, and flavor it with lemon slices, a few parsley stalks, juniper berries, and the white wine.
As soon as it starts to boil, add the cod pieces and cook on low heat for 10′.
Meanwhile, peel a large orange, cutting off the two ends first and then the peel from top to bottom. In this operation, it is important that the white skin is also removed when cutting.
At this point, divide it into segments, removing any internal seeds and other central white parts.
Finally, cut the segments in half.
Transfer the orange segments to a large salad bowl with all the remaining juice, add some coarsely chopped parsley with your hands and the pitted black and green olives.
Meanwhile, the fish will have finished cooking, so with the help of a slotted spoon, remove it and place it in a colander to cool.
While it is still warm, clean it by removing the outer skin, central and internal bones.
As soon as the cod is lukewarm, add it to the rest of the ingredients and dress everything with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt if necessary, a sprinkle of marjoram, and a splash of lemon juice.
Finish with a good grinding of pepper and mix gently to combine all the ingredients.
Place in the fridge covered with plastic wrap for at least 1 hour so that the dish absorbs all the flavors. Of course, it is optional, you can also serve the cod salad immediately if you prefer.
And voilà… the cod salad is ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appétit from La Cucina di FeFè!
Storage
👉The cod salad can also be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge covered with plastic wrap for a few days, as it will become more flavorful over time!
Tips, notes, variations, and suggestions
🟣If you haven’t purchased the already desalted cod, there are extra steps before proceeding with the recipe preparation.
Wash it thoroughly under a stream of running water to eliminate all the salt, then put it in a bowl and soak it in very cold water, for about 3 days, changing the water twice a day. After the soaking time, the cod will be well softened and desalted, ready to be cooked.
🟣This dish is very versatile, so it’s possible to add other ingredients to further enrich it such as some boiled potatoes, seasonal cherry tomatoes, or sun-dried tomatoes in oil. Inspired by the Neapolitan recipe, you can also add desalted capers, some anchovies, etc.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
I am teetotal, can I omit the wine?
Yes, undoubtedly wine adds acidity, body, and flavor to the dish but it can be omitted in all those cases where you are teetotal, the recipe is also intended for children, or simply because at home the wine supplies have run out!
