Remojón (salt cod and orange salad)

Remojón is a traditional salad from Southern Spain that combines salt cod and orange with simple garnishes. It may sound unusual but the delicate flavors work so well in this light, tasty tapas.

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Salads in Spain are often a very simple affair. Many have only a few ingredients and can be made quickly, perfect to serve alongside other dishes as part of a tapas meal. One exception is ensaladilla rusa (a type of potato salad), ever a favorite, though you can prepare the potatoes ahead.

A number of Spanish salads are relatively regional, drawing on the ingredients found locally and suiting the climate. In the South, some of these are about being light and fresh, such as with juicy tomatoes. And oranges are another popular choice to add refreshment and flavor, as in the orange and avocado salad I share in my summer tapas selection.

This salt cod and orange salad is another wonderfully simple combination from Andalusia, generally credited as being from Granada. It's easy to make, with just a handful of ingredients, and a lovely mix of flavors. And the only thing unusual is the salt cod which is well worth getting familiar with.

What is salt cod?

Salt cod, known as bacalao in Spanish (and bacalhau in Portuguese) is simply dried, salted cod fish. Salting cod is generally dated back to the late 1400s/early 1500s when Europeans made their ways to the shores of the Americas.

Off the coast of Newfoundland, the Portuguese navy found vast quantities of cod and needed a way to preserve it. Given the climate didn't suit drying, they salted it instead. It was the start of what's to this day a national obsession in Portugal.

As well as becoming a part of cross-Atlantic trade, it also made it's way to Caribbean as it was a food solution rather than taking away land from the sugar plantations.

While other places don't consume salt cod quite as much as the Portuguese, it's still popular in Spain and elsewhere. It has a lovely flavor that's gently fishy but also seasoned.

In Spain you'll find it used in salads, croquettes, stews and more (like these salt cod stuffed piquillo peppers). And a classic Portuguese dish worth trying is Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá made with salt cod, potatoes, onion and olive oil.

Preparing salt cod

While the upside of salt cod is that it is shelf stable for a long time, the flipside is you need to de-salt it before you use it. It would be far too salty, not to mention have an undesirable texture, if you tried to use it without soaking in water first.

But while you need a little time, de-salting is really easy. You simply place the salt cod in a container and cover the fish with cold water. Refrigerate and leave a few hours, drain and repeat the process a few times.

Exactly how long you need to soak the fish depends on the thickness - usually, you need at least 24 hours, but it can be 48 hours for thicker pieces of fish.

There is a slight balance to find as soaking too long can make the fish more bland - having a slight saltiness is part of what adds to the flavor. The only sure way to know is to break off a small piece and taste it. It should have a slight saltiness, but not too much or none.

After that, you drain and pat dry the fish before using in your recipe. You can store it in the fridge at this point for a day or two, as needed. For many recipes, you poach the cod in water or milk, but you can also use it raw or grill/fry the fish instead.

Variations in this salt cod and orange salad

Despite being incredibly simple, you will find a few variations in this salad. This is partly regional, and part the cooks. Some cook the fish, others don't. How you cook it can vary, too. Some use green onions, others red. You might add some hard boiled eggs, but not always.

At it's core, though, is the slices of orange and cod (however it's prepared), some form of onion, olives and olive oil to bring it together. Here I've used red onion, as to me they feel more typical of the area and add a lovely color and bite. I skipped the egg, but you can add if you like.

I also chose to poach the cod in milk as it gives a lovely juicy, mild and almost sweet flavor. But if you prefer to grill or use raw and slice, that works too.

Do take a little time to prepare the oranges. You want to get as much of the membrane off as possible so use a sharp, thin knife to cut off all the outside. This leaves them really easy to eat and popping with juiciness.

While I definitely think you can get away without using the often more expensive thick loin pieces of salt cod (save that for when you want nice big chunks), you do want good quality ingredients for this. You don't use many, so you will taste them.

Remojón is a wonderfully refreshing, bright and light salt cod and orange salad. It's great to serve as the start to a meal or alongside other dishes as part of a tapas meal. Colorful, with a lovely balance of sweet and savory, it's well worth enjoying.

Try these other salads with seafood:

• Tuscan white bean and tuna salad (a super simple salad perfect for a summer lunch or potluck)
• Yee sang (prosperity toss salad traditional for Lunar New Year but enjoyable any time with sashimi, vegetables and fried wontons)
• Classic salade Niçoise (the classic French salad combining tuna, beans, potato and more)
• Plus get more Spanish recipes in the archives.

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