Fried salted cod salad, the perfect appetizer to bring to the table at Christmas, rich in flavor and easy to prepare Calabrian style. As per tradition, fried salted cod cannot be missing; I don’t know about you, but in Calabria, it’s a great classic. It often happens that it is served as a second course, but after the appetizer buffet, it happens that no one touches it because they are already full, so I thought of 2 options: either prepare it as an appetizer, in a delicious cold salad, or use it for the next meal to prepare the salad if there’s any left. So, we have the double option; I honestly prefer the first one, prepare a smaller amount, and it will certainly be more appreciated with a nice buffet rich in mixed seafood appetizers, as is tradition here in Calabria for Christmas Eve, where a banquet with at least 13 courses is expected, just like the number of diners at Jesus’ last supper.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons, Christmas
Ingredients for Fried Salted Cod Salad
- 1.1 lbs soaked and desalted cod
- to taste lettuce
- to taste Tomatoes or fennel
- to taste baked black olives
- 1 crusco pepper (optional)
- 4 tbsps semolina flour
- to taste Oil for frying
- to taste salt
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste parsley
Tools to Prepare Fried Salted Cod Salad
- 1 Plate
- 1 Pan
- 1 Tongs
- 1 Paper Towels
- 1 Salad Bowl
- 1 Fork
Steps to Prepare Fried Salted Cod Salad
We prepare the salted cod 3-4 days in advance. The instructions are in the links in the description. Cut the salted cod into pieces and coat them in semolina after draining it well. If you prefer, you can also dry it so that it takes on less semolina.
Fry the pieces as you coat them in plenty of hot oil, I use sunflower oil, at a temperature of around 340°F, and let cook until well golden. For this recipe, I use nice chunky pieces of cod.
When the cod is ready, place it to drain on paper towels. In the same oil, fry the baked olives; they will be even more flavorful when passed in hot oil. Just a few moments without burning them, and then drain them with the cod. In the same oil, fry the crusco pepper, a dry pepper, roasting it in the hot oil for a few moments, then let it dry.
Wash the vegetables. Thinly slice tomatoes and lettuce, or any vegetables you like, such as fennel, cabbage, arugula, or artichokes, and place everything in a large bowl. Season with a bit of oil and a bit of salt.
Then flake the fried salted cod, now cold. Add it to the salad, along with the olives and crumbled crusco pepper, which will give a nice taste to the dish. Finally, add a bit of parsley. This salad can be enjoyed immediately, perfect to serve even at Christmas, along with other appetizers, so the portions are quite small.
