Serenata de Bacalao is a Puerto Rican recipe for Codfish Serenade Salad. The salt cod is desalinated and tossed in a dressing made from red wine vinegar and olive oil, then added to a plate of sauteed onions and peppers, olives, tomatoes, and hard-boiled eggs.
Serenata de Bacalao
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Ingredients
- 1 lb cod fillet desalted
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 red onion julienned or sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 3 hard-boiled eggs thinly sliced
- 2-3 tomatoes sliced
- ½ cup olives cut in half
- chopped cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse the cod in cold water. Place the pieces in a large bowl and submerge it completely in water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator. Let it soak for 24-36 hours, changing the water every 8 hours. Rinse the cod, discard the water, and then transfer the cod to a medium saucepan and fill with water.
- Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer, skimming the foam that rises to the surface, until the cod is tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the cod and cool enough to rip it into small pieces. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, place olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions and green bell peppers then cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened but not brown, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the olive oil mixture to cool in the skillet.
- Add the red wine vinegar to the pan with the olive oil mixture that I let cool and stir to combine. Transfer the cod to the skillet and stir gently, until completely covered in the olive oil mixture; refrigerate until cool.
- Pour the cod mixture into a large serving plate. Garnish the plate with tomato slices, egg slices, olives cut in half, and cilantro. Drizzle with additional olive oil, if desired. Serve cold with hot cooked stew meat.
What is Bacalao?
Bacalao is the Spanish term for dried and salted cod. The process of drying and salting cod started as a way to preserve the fish. The flavor and texture it gives the cod is a bonus.
Time needed: 1 day and 40 minutes
Serenata de Bacalao ~ Codfish Serenade
- Ingredients
1 lb cod fillet desalted
½ cup olive oil
1 green bell pepper
1 red onion julienned or sliced
2 cloves garlic minced
¼ cup red wine vinegar
3 hard-boiled eggs thinly sliced
2-3 tomatoes sliced
½ cup olives cut in half
chopped cilantro for garnish - Instructions
a) Rinse the cod in cold water. Place the pieces in a large bowl and submerge them completely in water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator. Let it soak for 24-36 hours, changing the water every 8 hours. Rinse the cod, discard the water, and then transfer the cod to a medium saucepan and fill it with water.
b) Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer, skimming the foam that rises to the surface, until the cod is tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the cod and cool enough to rip it into small pieces. Set aside.
c) Meanwhile, place olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions and green bell peppers then cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened but not brown, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the olive oil mixture to cool in the skillet.
d) Add the red wine vinegar to the pan with the olive oil mixture that I let cool and stir to combine. Transfer the cod to the skillet and stir gently, until completely covered in the olive oil mixture; refrigerate until cool.
e) Pour the cod mixture into a large serving plate. Garnish the plate with tomato slices, egg slices, olives cut in half, and cilantro. Drizzle with additional olive oil, if desired. Serve cold with hot cooked stew meat.
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