SALADS

Ensalada De Bacalao - Ensalada De Pulpo

Ensalada de Bacalao - Salted Codfish Salad

This is a refreshing salad dish that is great during the summer but, may be eaten at any time of the of the year. With all its ingredients all that is needed is a side dish of white rice or just a nice garlic bread.

1- lb. boned salted cod fish

3 to 4 white potatoes (boiled to a firm texture cooled and sliced)

1- Large Spanish onion (peeled and sliced into rings)

3 - Hard boiled eggs (shelled cooled and sliced)

2 to 3 Tomatoes ( washed and sliced )

1/2 Cup olive oil

1/2 Cup Spanish olives

2 to 3 Cloves of garlic (crushed)

1 - Tablespoon of white vinegar

1 - Small jar of red pimientos ( for garnish only use this after the salad has been completed )

Rinse codfish under cold running water and allow to soak over night in a covered bowl or pot over night. Make sure that the bowl or pot is large enough to allow for expansion of the fish. On the following day rinse once again and place in a pot with enough cold water to cover the fish. place on the stove and bring to a boil, lower heat and allow to simmer for about 1 hour change the water twice during this cycle in order to remove the salt and continue cooking until the fish is tender and flaky. Remove from pot set aside and allow to cool.

Note: The secrete to this salad is make sure that you keep changing the water in order to remove as much salt from the fish. Remember you are the final judge as to how much salt you want left on the fish.

Rub garlic in a large salad bowl making sure to cover all sides.

Flake the codfish so that it breaks up into nice bite size pieces and place into the salad bowl in order to create a layer add other ingredients except for the olive oil, vinegar and hard boiled eggs, making a layer and then add another layer of codfish until you have used all the ingredients.

Combine olive oil and vinegar and pour over the salad and toss until all the ingredients have been coated with the dressing.

Add sliced eggs and fold in carefully so as not to break the yolks. Garnish with red pimientos.

Ensalada De Pulpo

Octopus Salad

Ensalada de Pulpo is a great summer dish. We would have it for dinner with green boiled bananas & toasted garlic bread. This doesn't mean that it's only eaten in the summer it's that you will find it very refreshing on a hot day. It takes a bit of work, but in the end you will find that it was well worth it. This recipe should feed from six to eight hardy appetites and you should still have some left for later on, just make sure to keep it tightly covered in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:

1- Two medium size pulpos' about two and a half pounds each.
2- One large Spanish onion peeled and thinly sliced into rings.
3- Six cloves of crushed garlic.
4- The juice of two limes.
5- One cup of virgin olive oil.
6- One eighth of a cup of white vinegar.
7- One cup of chopped celery.
8- Salt and pepper to taste.
9- One eighth of a cup of chopped parsley.
10- One pinch of oregano.

Preparation:

1- Rinse the octopus under cold running water to wash off any foreign matter.
2- Place a large pot of cold water with a teaspoon of salt on the stove and bring to a boil. Place the Pulpo into the pot and allow to boil for at least one hour.
3- While the Pulpo is boiling you can start the dressing. In a large bowl blend together garlic, olive oil, vinegar and the lime juice. Once you have blended these ingredients add salt and pepper to taste and the pinch of oregano. This is the time to make sure that your dressing is just right, it should be tangy and yet pleasant to your taste with just a hint of garlic and lime blended in with the olive oil and vinegar. If you feel that you want to adjust it to your taste, this would be the time to do it. Just remember that the secret to this dressing is a complete marriage of all these ingredients you don't want one ingredient to over power the others.
4- Place dressing in the refrigerator and allow to cool while you continue with your preparation.
5- After the Pulpo has boiled for an hour turn off the burner and allow it to cool down in the pot of water. At this time you want the water to cool down enough so that you can put your hand into the pot without burning yourself. This is important because you are going to need this tempered water to clean the Pulpo. Once you are able to place your hand in the water start scrubbing the Pulpo removing the dark film that covers it. You can use a knife to scrape off the parts you can't remove with your hand. When cleaned right the Pulpo should be white in color with some light pink.
6- Once you have cleaned the Pulpo place it on a chopping board and cut it into wheel shaped round medallions. At this time you can decide what you want to do with the head you can cut it up and add it to the salad or give it to your cat this is up to you.
7- Once you have completed cutting up the Pulpo place it in the bowl with the dressing making sure to bath it well. Now you can add the remaining ingredients and mix well, you want the dressing to cover all the ingredients. Now you can place your finished masterpiece in the refrigerator and allow to chill. The best way to serve this dish is cold.
I hope that you will enjoy this dish as much as I have bringing it to you.