Salt Cod Salad with Aoli
An Unusual Summer Recipe Using a Colourful Mix of Vegetables
A humble staple such as salt cod is lifted to new heights with the addition of healthy, crisp vegetables and a creamy, pungent garlic dressing.
Salt cod it still popular in Western Europe, even in this day and age of frozen fish. The old tradition of salting fish to last through the lean fishing times may seem somewhat unnecessary , but in France, (where its known as Morue ) its still widely available..
It can be seen regularly on the fishmongers counters,either in its dried form ( stiff, flat and unappealingly grey) or pounded with garlic and olive oil to make a delicious creamy mixture known as Brandade which can be served warm or cold, making it oth a winter and summer dish.
It lends itself well to a strong flavour such garlic, and in the following recipe it’s served with a pungent mayo/garlic accompaniment called Aoli. Cold fish in a salad may seem a little odd, but give it a try the next time you see salt cod in the fishmongers.
The salad is quite substantial, so it can be served very effectively as a main course, and the choice of vegetables can be a varied as you like. But go for plenty of contrasting colour, as the cod and the aoli are big on flavour but fairly bland in appearance.
For six people you will need about 1 kg (2 ¼ lbs) of salt cod. Soak it in sufficient water to cover, for about 8 hours, changing the water a couple of times if you have the chance.
For the aoli you will need:
500ml (3/4 pint) thick mayonnaise
2-4 garlic cloves…..how many you use is of course personal preference; in France one would use quite a lot more, comme d’habitude!
2 Tbs. Crème Fraiche or soured cream
Wrap the unpeeled garlic cloves in a small square of tin foil and bake in a hot oven for 15 mins. Remove and allow to cool enough to handle; carefully squeeze each clove into a small bowl. Stir in the mayonnaise and crème fraiche .Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate until needed.
For the Salad you will need:
500g (1lb) small new potatoes
6 hard boiled eggs
12 - 14 baby carrots
250g( 8oz) broccoli florets lightly blanched in boiling water for 3-4 mins
250g (8oz) mangetout peas blanched as the broccoli, but for an even shorter time
(Transfer both to iced water when blanching is over to maintain their greenness)
250g cherry tomatoes
1 head of fennel trimmed and finely sliced.
To Assemble the Salad
Remove the fish from the soaking water, rinse thoroughly and place in a deep frying pan. Cover with unsalted water; add a few stalks of parsley, a bay leaf and a slice of lemon. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 10 mins. By this time the fish should flake when tested with a fork. Drain carefully and allow to cool.
Scrub the new potatoes and cook in lightly salted water until tender. In a separate pan bring the carrots to the boil in lightly salted water and cook for about 5 mins (they should still be crisp) When both potatoes and carrots are cooked, drain and allow to cool.
Shell the hardboiled eggs and halve.
Remove the skin from the cod, if it has any, and flake the flesh coarsely.
Pile the flaked cod onto a large serving dish and arrange all the vegetables and the eggs around the edge. Sprinkle finely chopped parsley over all.
Serve with the aoli.
