DO YOU DO BACALAO?

 

Salt cod (bacalao)

Bacalao (salt cod) must be part of the Spanish DNA. In medieval times, unless you lived less than a 24-hour mule ride from the coast, you probably never tasted fresh fish. Salt cod  and other salt fish were the only seafood available to you. 

"According to tax records in the city of Barcelona, 1,800,000 kippered sardines were sold in a single day, February 8, 1434, the first day of Lent." (That’s the introduction to the fish chapter in my newest cookbook, Flavors of al-Andalus, which also has lots of recipes for fresh fish!)

What’s amazing is that, even now, with fabulous fresh seafood everywhere in Spain, bacalao continues to be a favored ingredient. 

Nevertheless, salt cod is not to everyone’s taste. In the recipe for Salt Cod Dip in the cookbook, I suggest the alternative of using canned tuna. Here's how that worked out.

I made the Salt Cod Dip recipe using canned tuna in place of cod. Here it is served as a first course accompanied by marinated cauliflower and crispy garlic toasts.

Leftover tuna dip is spread on bread with cheese and pan-grilled with olive oil to make a very tasty tuna melt, 

Salt Cod Dip

Ajo Bacalao

The recipe that appears in FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS is made with salt cod. 

Cod is unknown in Mediterranean waters. But, thanks to seafaring Basques, who fished the cod banks off Newfoundland as early as the 9th century, cod in its salted, dried form has been ubiquitous in Spanish cooking from medieval times to the present. 

This recipe with cod, bread, and olive oil makes a garlicky, creamy dip or schmear that might remind you of brandade or Greek taromosalata. This version comes from the Axarquía region east of Málaga and is a specialty of Semana Santa, Holy Week, when salt cod dishes are traditional.

In bygone times, the dish was made in a lebrillo, a large clay bowl, or with a wooden mortar, the ingredients mashed together with a pestle. Nowadays, a food processor makes quick work of it. It’s a good recipe to make when you have scraps of salt cod left from cutting up a whole fish for another recipe. 

As prepared in present times, a big spoonful of pimentón is added to the dip, giving it a nice ruddy color. Pimentón would not have been available in Moorish times, so, if you like, include a mashed carrot or two to add color to the mix.

The resulting thick spread can be slathered on bread or toasts for a satisfying snack, spread on crisp crackers as a canapé or dipped with breadsticks. Serve it as a luncheon entrée with artichokes, quartered hard-boiled egg and lettuce. 

Unless you obtain cod that is already desalted, you will need to start preparations a day or two before making the dip, as the cod needs to soak in water to remove salt and soften the flesh. Small pieces need only 12 hours soaking. If you have a thick, loin cut of bacalao, it may need as long as 48 hours to soften and lose excess salt. Salt cod needs very little cooking on gentle heat. 

If salt cod is not your thing, you could make the recipe substituting canned tuna. Skip the steps for soaking and cooking the salt cod. Use a little water or stock to soak the bread.

8 ounces dry salt cod or 2 (5-ounce) cans tuna, drained

2 cloves garlic

1 or 2 cooked carrots (optional)

2 ½ cups diced day-old bread (5 ounces)

1 cup cod cooking liquid

Pinch of ground cloves

Freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt, to taste

Olives and hard-boiled eggs to garnish (optional) 

Bread, toast, breadsticks or crackers to serve

Wash the cod and cut it into 1-inch pieces, discarding any skin and bones. Place the cod in a bowl. Cover with cold water. Refrigerate, covered, 12 hours, changing the water twice. 

Drain and rinse the pieces of cod. Place them in a pan and cover with 2 cups of water. Bring the water to a simmer (bubbling gently) and cook 1 minute. Drain, saving the cod cooking liquid. When the cod is cool, flake it with the fingers. Reserve the cod and the cooking liquid.

Finely chop the garlic and carrot, if using, in a food processor. Add the bread and ½ cup of the reserved cod cooking liquid. Let it set 5 minutes to soften the bread. Process until the bread is a smooth paste, adding additional cooking liquid, as needed. Season with cloves and pepper. With the processor running, slowly add the oil. Process until the oil is completely absorbed and the mixture is very smooth. Add the lemon juice to make a smooth, thick cream. 

Add the flaked cod and pulse the mixture to combine the cod. The cod does not have to be completely pureed. Taste and add salt if necessary.  

Cover and refrigerate the cod until serving time or up to 3 days. Garnish with olives and sliced egg, if desired. Serve with bread, toasts, breadsticks or crackers.

More recipes with salt cod (bacalao):

Salt Cod with Cauliflower in Garlic Sauce (Ajada)

Cod Fritters with Molasses (Tortillitas con Miel de Caña)

Salt Cod in Garlic PilPil Sauce 

Salt Cod Catalan Style (a la Llauna)

Rice with Salt Cod and "Cobblestones" (Empedrado)(

Lenten Stew with Chickpeas, Salt Cod, and Chard

Salt Cod-Garlic Spread 

Andalusian Salt Cod with Tomato Sauce and Olives

FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS 

The Culinary Legacy of Spain

FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS, The Culinary Legacy of Spain. Here's a fresh angle on the traditional cooking of Spain, with 120 recipes that trace their roots to Moorish Spain. See below for where to order. 

This cookbook explores the fascinating story of the deep and lasting influences that Islamic culture has left on modern Spanish cooking. 

Author and Spanish cooking expert Janet Mendel tells the story of the Moorish influence on Spanish cooking through 120 recipes and photographs for modern-day dishes, from salads and vegetables to fish, poultry and meat to sweets and pastries, that trace their heritage to foods served in medieval times. Dishes from this era include exotic spices such as saffron, the use of fruits and almonds with savory dishes, and honeyed sweets and pastries. The flavors of al-Andalus live on in modern Spanish cooking and are what makes Spain’s cuisine distinctive from the rest of Europe. (Hippocrene Books)    

 Order on IndiePubs (USA) 

Use PROMO CODE HIPPOCRENE40 for 40% off on all Hippocrene titles at IndiePubs online bookstore.

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THIS SANDWICH IS A MEAL ON A BUN

 

Campero sandwich--the homemade version of a fast-food favorite, with chicken, ham, cheese, tomatoes and lettuce.

I've hardly noticed the proliferation of fast-food restaurants in Spain. Then, in a single week, I had several encounters with the Campero malagueño, Málaga’s version of a hero or sub sandwich. The placard outside one establishment listed 50 different versions of the Campero!

Before McDonald´s arrived in Spain (March, 1981, Madrid), hamburgueserías and sandwicherías—fast-food sandwich joints—began popping up in urban areas. They became a popular hangout for teens and a quick lunch option for unfortunate folks working the new intensivo hours, instead of the two-hour midday closure of businesses and schools that allowed for a proper comida (main meal).  The Campero is, in effect, a whole meal on a bun.

The classic Campero is assembled on a round roll, usually a mollete. It is spread with mayonnaise and includes lettuce, tomato, chicken, cooked ham and cheese. The sandwich is always grilled. While it’s meant to be eaten with the hands, it’s fairly messy and needs napkins. 

Here's what you need to know to make the Campero at home.

Mollete has a firm crumb and crust.

The bread. A round bread roll with a firm, but not hard crust. A crusty roll doesn’t work on a grill. Hamburger buns are too sweet and too soft; they aren't sturdy enough to hold up with the contents of the Campero. If you substitute a long roll, such as a bollo or baguette, it’s not a Campero. It has to be round. I used 5 ½ -inch molletes for the Campero. Round ciabatta rolls might make an acceptable substitute. 

The sandwich spread. Mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup. You can take it from there: tahini, tartare sauce, curry, picante (hot) sauce. I saw a version called “campero gringo” with barbecue sauce. The sandwich spread was my only “innovative” touch to the classic Campero—I made a mayonnaise-mango chutney sauce.

Summer's best tomatoes for this sandwich.

The tomatoes. Use the best beefsteak tomatoes. The slices should completely cover the round of bread, so use two or three big slices.

The lettuce. Crisp iceberg lettuce holds up best to grilling. But any salad green works just fine. Try rucula for extra flavor. 

Onions. Optional, but usual, either fried crisp or griddled. I made some lightly pickled red onions.

The chicken, etc. Grilled chicken cutlets are classic for the Campero. But, breaded and fried cutlets or sliced roast chicken will work too. The etc. includes pork, beef, tuna, duck breast. A vegetarian version might include grilled slices of eggplant and portobello mushrooms.

Additions. To the classic Campero, add an over-easy egg. Beyond that, your imagination can take over: bacon, roasted red peppers, fried green peppers, caramelized apples, olives, fresh herbs.

Add a layer of cooked ham or lacón.

Ham. This is cooked ham, in Spain known as jamón york. I used hand-sliced smoked lacón, a cooked shoulder ham.  Variations: serrano or ibérico ham, smoked salmon.

The cheese. Any melting cheese. Semi-cured Manchego or smoky Idiazábel are terrific, but good old “American” will work too. Blue cheese, goat cheese, mozzarella. I used a soft, mixed-milk (cow, goat, sheep) cheese, pre-sliced for convenience. 

Give the buns a quarter turn to get cross-hatch grill marks. Or use a sandwich press.

The grill. A sandwich press is perfect. Otherwise use a ridged grill pan to make the toasty grill marks on the bread. If you haven’t got a grill pan, use any flat griddle or heavy skillet.

Grilled Chicken and Cheese Sandwich

Campero Malagueño

Here’s what you need to make four big sandwiches. The recipes for grilling the chicken, making the sandwich spread and pickling the onions are below.

 Tomatoes, molletes, mayo, cheese, ham, onions, lettuce, chicken.

For the Campero sandwiches

Molletes (round buns)

4 grilled chicken breast cutlets 

4 (5 ½-inch) molletes (buns) or ciabatta rolls

Mayonnaise-chutney sandwich spread

Sliced tomatoes

Lettuce leaves

Pickled red onions

Sliced cooked ham

Sliced cheese

Olive oil

For the grilled chicken

4 chicken breast cutlets, about 4 ounces each, ¼ inch thick (from 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast)

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon smoked pimentón (paprika)

Olive oil

Spice blend for chicken.

Spread the cutlets out on a plate. Combine the salt, pepper, cumin and pimentón in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over both sides of the chicken. Allow the chicken to come to room temperature.

Brush a grill pan or heavy skillet with oil and place on moderately high heat. Grill the chicken cutlets until they are just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Remove.

Chutney, mustard, mayonnaise.

For the mayonnaise-mango sandwich spread:

¼ cup mango chutney

½ cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

If the chutney is chunky, mash it with a fork. Combine chutney, mayonnaise and mustard in a small bowl. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to spread.

For the Vinegared Red Onions:

1 red onion

1 cup water

½ cup white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons salt

Cut the onion in half from stem to root, then slice crosswise. Combine the water, vinegar and salt in a bowl. Add the onions. Allow them to macerate 2 hours. 

Drain the onions to serve. To store them, place in a non-reactive container and add enough of the vinegar water to cover them. Store refrigerated up to 5 days.

To assemble the Campero Sandwiches:

Split the molletes. Spread both halves with the mango-mayonnaise sandwich spread. On the bottom half, arrange a layer of sliced tomatoes. Top with lettuce. Place the whole chicken cutlet on top. Add a layer of sliced ham. Top with sliced cheese. Place the top half of the mollete on the stack. Press the sandwich gently.

Sandwich assembled, ready to grill.

Brush a ridged grill pan or sandwich press with oil and heat it. Brush the tops of the molletes with oil. Place a sandwich on the grill for 1 minute. Give it a quarter turn and grill 30 seconds more. If using a grill pan, carefully turn the sandwich over. Repeat, grilling the sandwich 1 minute, then turning it 90º. When the bread is marked by the grill and the cheese is beginning to melt, remove the sandwich to a cutting board. 

Cut the sandwich in half and serve immediately.  

Cut sandwich in half to serve.

Fast food joints serve fries alongside the Campero. I've got spicy radishes.

Grilling melts the cheese and makes appetizing grill marks on the bun.

More sandwich recipes:

Serrano Ham and Pork Loin Sandwiche (Serranito)

Tuna and Roasted Pepper Sandwich.

Steak Sandwich with Mushroom Ketchup (Pepito).

Mini-Roll with Spicy Sardines.

Fried Squid Sandwich with Alioli.

SWEET POTATO BUNS

Why does pumpkin get all the publicity this time of year? Sweet potatoes, also in season now, can do everything pumpkin can—sweet or savory, vegetable or dessert. 

In Spanish villages sweet potatoes (called batatas or boniatos) are roasted in bread ovens and sold, piping hot, along with bread. Warm sweet potatoes as well as roasted chestnuts are a favorite snack for chill evenings visiting the cemetery on the Day of the Dead. (In Spain, November 1 is a national holiday, Todos los Santos—All Saints’ Day, so that is when most families visit their dear departeds in the cemeteries.)

Here is a recipe from La Mancha for tortas de boniato, sweet potato buns, a yeast bread with spice and just a little sugar. The sweet potatoes give the buns a lovely color and moistness. Serve them with soft cheese and marmalade for breakfast. Split the buns crosswise and fill with sliced turkey or toast them and use with burgers (salmon burger or lamb burger would be especially good, I think).

Sweet potato in the dough gives these buns a great color.

Breakfast buns! Split them and toast on a ridged grill pan.

Spread buns with cream cheese and top with jam.

A change from bagels--buns with cream cheese and smoked salmon.

Tostadas are like bruschetta--crisp toasts ready for toppings. Slice the buns crosswise. Brush with olive oil and place on baking sheets, oiled sides down. Bake in 375ºF oven until golden on the bottom, 5 minutes. Brush the tops with more oil and turn the slices over. Bake until bottoms are lightly browned, about 5 minutes longer.

Leftover turkey? Sandwich it on these buns, with mayo and mango chutney.

Sweet Potato Buns
Tortas de Boniato

You will need about 1 cup mashed sweet potato. You can use leftover cooked sweet potato in this recipe. Added spices are fine; but, if potatoes have been sweetened, eliminate the sugar from the bread recipe.

Heating the oil with aniseed and lemon zest infuses flavor. Don’t let the oil bubble, just warm.

The small quantity of sugar makes the dough somewhat sticky. Use enough additional flour when kneading to keep the dough from sticking to the board. For additional sweetness, sprinkle sugar on top of the buns before baking. If you are going to use them for sandwiches or other savory preparations, skip the sugar topping.

Makes 12 large buns.

Ingredients for the buns. Note the bubbly yeast (upper right). Below it is olive oil infused with aniseed.

1 medium sweet potato (14 ounces), peeled and cut in pieces (to make 1 cup mashed sweet potato)
½ cup olive oil plus additional for oiling bowl and baking sheets
¼ teaspoon aniseed
Strip of lemon zest
½ cup warm water (110ºF)
Sugar
1 envelope active dry yeast
2 eggs
1 ½  teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups milk, warmed to 110ºF
8 cups flour plus additional for kneading
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon milk

Cook the sweet potato in boiling water to cover until fork-tender. Drain well. Mash the sweet potato or put through a ricer.

Heat the oil in a saucepan with the aniseed and strip of lemon zest. Remove from heat and discard the zest. Allow the oil to cool.

Place the warm water in a small bowl with ½ teaspoon sugar and sprinkle the yeast over it. Allow to stand until bubbly, 10 minutes.

Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl with 2 tablespoons sugar and the salt. Beat in the oil and aniseed. Add the sweet potatoes, yeast, and warmed milk. Use a large wooden spoon to stir in about 6 cups of flour. Knead in remaining 2 cups of flour.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead until smooth and shiny, 5 minutes. Sprinkle the board with additional flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking. Gather the dough into a ball.

Oil a clean, large bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, turn it to coat all sides lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and place in a warm place until dough has doubled in volume, about 2 hours.

Prepare 2 baking sheets. Lightly oil the sheets and dust with flour. With a floured hand, punch down the dough. Knead briefly on floured board. Divide the dough into 12 balls (about 5 ounces each). Roll or pat them into disks about 5 inches in diameter and ½ inch thick. Place them on the baking sheets. Cover the buns with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Discard plastic wrap. Combine egg yolk with 1 tablespoon milk. Brush  the tops of the buns with the egg. Sprinkle them with 2 tablespoons of sugar (optional).

Bake the buns in the middle rack of the oven, changing position of the sheets after 10 minutes, until they are golden on top and sound hollow if tapped on the bottom, 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool the buns on wire racks.

More about sweet potatoes here.