Salted Cod Fish Salad is a Healthy and Tasty Summer Meal
NEW YORK, NY - I love Salted Cod Fish. It is such an interesting food to cook with; a food item that should always be in your pantry or refrigerator, especially during this active hurricane season.
It is a convenient source of protein and easy to prepare. When you pair it with the right ingredients, it makes some of the most delicious tasting meals you could ever eat!
The people who live in the Caribbean and those in the Diaspora can attest to the delicious virtues of cooking with Salted Cod Fish. In the Caribbean, Salted Cod Fish is used to make appetizers, breakfast, lunch, dinner and even supper dishes.
When Salted Cod Fish is used in the Caribbean, it is often paired with several different, leafy vegetables, okra, pumpkin, Choyote, tubers, Irish potatoes, Sweet potatoes, dasheen, yams, green Bananas, ripe and green plantains, roasted or boiled Breadfruit, boiled and fried dumpling, rice or pasta.
When Salted Cod Fish is paired with Ackee, it forms Jamaica’s National Dish – a finger licking award winning popular dish!
Four of my favorite Salted Cod Fish dishes are Cod Fish Fritters, Ackee and Saltfish, cod fish patties (Haitian) and Salted Cod Fish Salad. Today I will share my recipe for Salted Cod Fish Salad:
INGREDIENTS
1lb boneless salted cod
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 white onion, cut small chunks
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
The Juice of 1/2 lemon
A dash salt and freshly ground black pepper and white pepper
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
1lb green bananas or boiled breadfruit, boiled green plantains or boiled yuca (cooked and cubed)
1 cup cherry tomatoes,
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 ripe avocado, cut into one inch squares.
DIRECTIONS
1. Soak the salt cod in plenty of cold water overnight.
2. Drain the salt cod and cook the cod gently for about 20 minutes.
If the cod is still very salty, break it up into 3 or 4 pieces and discard the water. Put the cod pieces back in the pot with fresh water. Bring to a simmer again, turn off the heat and let sit for about 10 minutes. Check for saltiness. If it’s too salty put back cod in fresh water as above.
3. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Add the red onions and finely crushed garlic and cooked cod to the dressing.
4. Add cooked Green bananas, boiled breadfruit, plantains, yuca or potatoes to the bowl with the cod and toss gently. Allow to cool.
Add the cherry tomatoes.
Add parsley
Add avocados to the bowl with the cod and toss all ingredients together.
Season with salt if necessary and add pepper.
Allow salad to sit for about an hour for the flavors to meld.
Bon Appetite!
Minna LaFortune is a trained Caribbean caterer and also president, Society for the Advancement of the Caribbean Diaspora (SACD).
