Salada de Grão com Bacalhau

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large pot for chickpeas
• •Medium pot for bacalhau
• •Small pot for eggs
• •Large serving platter

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the bacalhau

   Drain the soaked cod and place it in a pot. Cover with fresh cold water and bring just to a simmer over medium heat. The moment you see the first bubbles rise, remove from heat immediately. Let the cod sit in the hot water for 10 minutes. It will cook gently from residual heat. Drain, let cool enough to handle, then flake into large pieces with your fingers, removing all skin and bones. The flakes should be generous, not shredded. Set aside.

   Never let the cod boil. Boiling turns it tough and stringy. You want it just barely set, tender enough to flake apart when you touch it.
2. 2

   Cook the chickpeas

   If using dried chickpeas, drain and rinse them. Place in a large pot with the bay leaf, cover with fresh water by at least 8 centimeters, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until completely tender but not falling apart, about 1 to 1.5 hours depending on the age of your chickpeas. They should yield easily when pressed but hold their shape. Drain and discard the bay leaf. If using canned, simply drain and rinse well.

   Dried chickpeas make a better salad. They have more texture, more flavor, more soul. But I won't judge you for using canned on a Tuesday night. As avós sabem: sometimes you do what you must.
3. 3

   Boil the eggs

   Place the eggs in a single layer in a pot and cover with cold water by 3 centimeters. Bring to a boil over high heat. The moment the water boils, remove from heat, cover, and let sit for exactly 10 minutes. Transfer eggs to ice water to stop the cooking. Peel when cool enough to handle, then quarter lengthwise. The yolks should be just set, still slightly golden in the center, not chalky.

4. 4

   Make the dressing

   In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper. The dressing should be bold because the chickpeas will absorb much of it. Taste it. It should make you want to dip bread into it.

5. 5

   Assemble the salad

   Spread the warm chickpeas on a large serving platter. Warm chickpeas absorb the dressing better than cold. Scatter the flaked bacalhau over the chickpeas. Arrange the paper-thin onion slices throughout. Drizzle two-thirds of the dressing over everything and toss gently with your hands. Let it rest for 10 minutes.

   The onion must be sliced thin as paper. Thick onion overpowers everything. Avó Leonor used to hold each slice up to the window. If she couldn't see light through it, she sliced it thinner.
6. 6

   Finish and serve

   Nestle the quartered eggs on top of the salad. Scatter the black olives throughout. Shower generously with chopped parsley. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the eggs and around the edges. Finish with a final flourish of your best olive oil and a crack of black pepper. Serve at room temperature with plenty of crusty bread for mopping up the juices.

Chef Tips

• •The bacalhau needs proper soaking. Two days minimum, water changed three times. Taste a small piece before cooking. It should taste like mild fish, not salt. If it's still salty, give it another day.
• •Slice the onion so thin you can see through it. Soak the slices in ice water for 10 minutes if you want to tame their bite, but I prefer them with their edge. That sharpness cuts through the richness of the cod.
• •Assemble the salad while the chickpeas are still warm. They'll absorb the dressing like bread absorbs broth. Cold chickpeas just sit there, refusing to participate.
• •This salad improves after an hour at room temperature. The flavors come together, the chickpeas soften further, everything settles. Don't refrigerate it unless you must. Cold dulls good olive oil.
• •Some families add diced tomato in summer. Some add roasted peppers. Avó Leonor called this 'showing off' and served hers without. I respect the original, but I won't stop you from making it your own.

Advance Preparation

• •The bacalhau must soak for 2 days minimum, water changed 3 times. This is not optional. Plan accordingly.
• •Dried chickpeas need overnight soaking. Start them the night before you plan to cook.
• •The cooked bacalhau, chickpeas, and hard-boiled eggs can all be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated separately. Bring to room temperature before assembling.
• •The assembled salad keeps well for up to 3 days refrigerated. Bring to room temperature and add fresh parsley before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 350g)