Christmas

Mom's Christmas Baccala Salad

by:
January 14, 2013
4.3
3 Ratings
Mom's Christmas Baccala Salad
Photo by James Ransom
  • Serves 8-10
Author Notes

Every Christmas Day I look forward to my Mom's Baccala Salad. It's delicious -- salty and spicy in all the right ways. It's also a nice light way to start the festive meal which is followed by spinach lasagne and a meat course. The dressing you can make your own by adding as little or as much of the things you enjoy. I happen to like extra hot peppers on mine! —jvcooks

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Salt Cod
  • 4-5 pounds piece of salt cod
  • Dressing
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • fresh lemon
  • cherry peppers
  • pepperoncini peppers
  • celery stalks with leaves, chopped
  • capers
  • Moroccan oil-cured black olives
  • gaeta olives
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • anchovies
Directions
  1. Soak dry salt cod in cold water for 4 days in the refrigerator. Change the water two times a day.
  2. When the cod has soaked for 4 days, rinse and cut into large chunks. Place the chunks of cod into a pot and cover with cold water. Bring up to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until the cod starts to flake. Be careful not to over cook.
  3. Rinse the cooked cod under cold water and break into bite size pieces.
  4. As you can see there are no measurements for the dressing. Use as little or as much of the ingredients based on you tastes.
  5. Garnish with anchovies and parsley.
Tags:

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Lynette Martyn
    Lynette Martyn
  • Carol Agresta Siano
    Carol Agresta Siano
  • Equator180
    Equator180

Popular on Food52

3 Reviews

Equator180
Equator180 December 27, 2020
I too grew up with salt cod. It actually was a big part of my family's diet with a regular routine during the winter months of once per week. In my opinion you are greatly over doing Teh soaking, four days changing the water twice per day? Is there any flavor left? Try one day, change the water three times and compare.
 
Lynette M.
Lynette M. December 8, 2017
How far ahead do you reccommend making this?
 
Carol A.
Carol A. January 23, 2013
I was so pleased that JV Shared my traditional baccala recipe..it was passed on to me
from my husband's mother.Yours looks delicious.I Hope Food 52 followers will
enjoy the recipe & make it part of their holiday tradition..
Carol Siano