Called baccala in Italy, bacalao in Spain, and klippfisk in Scandinavia, salt cod has been a cooking staple in world cuisines for hundreds of years. Here in the United States, if you didn't grow up eating it, these stiff boards of dried fish can seem like an odd food to get passionate about. Read on for more details and recipes...
Ingredient Spotlight: Salt Cod
Salt cod is made by filleting freshly caught cod, salting it heavily, and then drying it. This preserves the fish, preventing it from spoiling for several years and allowing it to be transported over great distances. With the over fishing of the cod population, these days salt cod is often made with other white-fleshed fish.
For use in cooking, salt cod needs to be reconstituted and then, ironically, rinsed of as much salt as possible to make it palatable. Soak salt cod in a bowl of water for several days and change the water daily in order to expunge all the salt.
Salt cod can then be used as a main ingredient in soups or as a base for pasta or risotto. It can also be made into fritters or a spread for toast. Here are a few recipes we found from around the internet:
• Bunyols de Bacalla (Salt Cod Fritters) from BBC Food
• Baccala Salad from the Food Network
• Baccala Mantecato (Savory Whipped Salt Cod Spread) from MassRecipes.com
• Cod Cannelloni with Swiss Chard and Roasted Pepper from Epicurious
• Salt Cod and Clam Stew from Chow.com
Are you a fan of salt cod?
Related: Good Question: What is Halal Meat?
(Image: Flickr member Geoff Coupe licensed under Creative Commons)
Tags
Ingredients - Seafood, Inspiration, Seafood products, Frugality, salt, bacalau, bacalhau, baccala, dried fish, salt codRelated Links
- The Strangest Food I Ever Ate: Octopus Terrine
- How To: Clean and Debeard Mussels
- Texas Shellfish Recall Due to Algae Bloom
- Word of Mouth: Bouillabaisse
- Ingredient Spotlight: Octopus
Share
Comments (6)
Weekly Email
Top Posts
Top Recipes
- Appetizer Recipe: Bacon-Wrapped Potato Bites with Spicy Sour Cream Dipping Sauce
- Recipe: Ginger Pumpkin Pie with Graham Cracker Crust
- Two Cocktails for Thanksgiving
- Vegetarian Thanksgiving: Nutloaf! And Leftover Nutloaf!
- Recipe: Potato Dough Rolls
Top Tours
- Alvar Aalto's Spare and Simple Studio Kitchen
- Before & After: Kelly Moseley's Calming Austin Kitchen
- Joe and Kristin's Warm and Cozy Craftsman Kitchen
- Rachel's Busy Single Girl's Kitchen
- Kitchen Gallery: White, Bright, and Clean
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
In Norway, Bacalao is the name of a salt cod recipe inspired by the Spaniards who came to Norway's northern coastal areas to buy fish.
Recipe variations abound, but the ingredients are usually salt cod, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, chilli peppers, garlic and olive oil.
Lovely, spicy comfort food when done right :)
view katti's profile
Unfortunately, as you mention, cod is on the endangered fish list, so can you suggest alternatives?
view CRM's profile
As "CRM" above I'm a bit surprised that you would bring it up, considering cod's endangered status and the global eco-problem that the fish industry has brought upon us. Couldn't you instead feature a piece on the types of fish that are "safe" to eat, from an ecological perspective?
For anyone interested in the fish and the fascinating impact dried, salted cod has had on world history, I recommend Mark Kurlansky's absolutely fantastic book "Cod" to anyone who hasn't read it yet. He also followed it up this year with another book about fish and the fishing industry: "The Last Fish Tale".
view Herzleid's profile
I had bacalhau a bras in Lisbon at Bota Alta, and it was the most delicious, amazing comfort food I've ever had. David Leite has a recipe for it, and I intend on making it as soon as I can find some dried cod.
view ceemecee's profile
I have to echo, if a little belatedly, Herzleid and CRM on this one. A few generations ago my family owned a cod fishery out of Gloucester. It was fishing practices during those time periods that caused the collapse of cod stocks in the northern Atlantic. It should be avoided until the populations have recovered and fishing practices have been adequately reformed to be sustainable... or else there could be no cod at all in just a few generations. The loss of fish populations can have a huge impact on the rest of the ocean ecosystem, and as much as it's a part of my history... I'll pass.
view srtussing's profile
Ahhhh so stinky! My mom would use this to make fishcakes, and I always hated the smell. Fresh cod is delish though.
view Melissa A.'s profile