Orange Salad with Salt Codfish and Iberian Ham from Spain

There are many ways to prepare a codfish salad, otherwise known as remojon of Granada, but this delicious version comes from the sea side kitchen of one of our Spain cooking vacations. Straight from Andalusia, this healthy and easy starter or tapas is great for the hot summer months.

The Costa del Sol, like other areas of Spain, has a unique cuisine and “culture of food.” The nutritional value of the food, the freshness of ingredients, and the presentation are very important to Spaniards. If you enjoy this recipe, then check out all our Andalusia cooking vacations.

Orange Salad with Salt Codfish and Iberian Ham

Serves: 6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Cook method: Poach, Sauté

Ingredients:

• 7 oz. of good quality salt cod (wild if possible)
• 3 oranges plus the zest of 1 orange
• 3.5 oz. raisins soaked in the orange of the zest (or dried figs)
• red onion finely sliced
• black olives pitted and chopped
• olive oil extra virgin
• fleur de sel (flower of salt, or hand-harvested sea salt)
• freshly ground colored peppers
• small pieces of Iberian ham (optional)
• fresh mint

Instructions 

1. Desalt the cod by soaking it, skin side up, at least for 24 hours, changing the water every six hours, keeping it in the fridge.

2. Drain, cover with cold water and place it on the heat. Before the water starts to boil, remove from the heat, let it cool in its water for 10 minutes then separate the cod into slices and sauté them with a little bit of olive oil without breaking them.

3. Peel the oranges with a sharp knife removing all the bitter white or pith. Cut the oranges into rounds or into segments.

4. On a plate, place the oranges, sliced red onions over the oranges, the cod, the orange zest, the raisins or dried figs, and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

5. Add pitted chopped black olives and Iberian ham, and garnish with fresh mint.

7. Add fleur de sel and freshly ground pepper, to taste.

A note from the chef: Cod is a wonderful substitute for meat protein, and it belongs to the same family of the monkfish and haddock. This great noble fish needs the cold deep arctic waters to grow, reproduce and survive.

Learn about Portuguese salt cod, or bacalhau.

By Peg Kern

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