makes
8
prep
30 minutes
cook
20 minutes
difficulty
Easy
makes
8
serves
preparation
30
minutes
cooking
20
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- 250 g bacalao (dried salted cod) (see Note)
- 100 ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra, to drizzle
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 long red chilli, seeded, sliced
- ⅛ small savoy cabbage, outer leaves discarded
- 1 small baguette, cut into 8 slices on the diagonal, toasted
Piquillo pepper vinaigrette
- 100 g (½ cup) piquillo peppers (see Note), drained, finely chopped
- 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 3 tsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Soaking time 24 hours
Drink match 2006 Tertini Crossroads Riesling, Southern Highlands, NSW ($33)
Instructions
Place bacalao, skin-side up, in a non-reactive container with a lid. Add enough cold water to cover by 3 cm, then cover and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours depending upon the type of bacalao (see note), changing water every 12 hours, until softened.
To make vinaigrette, place ingredients in a bowl. Season, stirring to combine. Set aside.
Place extra virgin olive oil, garlic and chilli in a frying pan over low–medium heat and cook for 5 minutes or until garlic is golden. Remove garlic and chilli with a slotted spoon. Drain on paper towel.
Place bacalao, skin-side down, in same pan and cook, turning halfway, for 15 minutes or until light golden. Remove fish with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. When cool, remove and discard skin and any bones.
Meanwhile, cook cabbage in a pan of boiling salted water for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and refresh. Pat dry with paper towel. Separate leaves and place in a bowl. Season with salt and toss with a little of the extra oil.
Spoon some of the vinaigrette onto the toasts, then top with cabbage. Flake bacalao and place on top. Scatter over fried garlic and chilli, and serve drizzled with extra oil.
Notes
• Bacalao comes in various forms – some are sold in sealed packets which still have a slight softness to them and might only need 24 hours soaking. Other forms can be very dried and require up to 3 days of soaking, with the water changed every couple of hours, to soften the fish.
• Piquillo peppers are Spanish peppers that have been roasted and preserved in jars or tins. They’re available from select delis and Spanish food shops (see Cooking Notes).
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
