Ingredients
Salt cod
- 500 gsalt cod
- cold water, for soaking
- 1bay leaf
The salad
- 2onions, very thinly sliced
- 1red pepper, in thin strips
- 4spring onions, sliced
- 3garlic cloves, crushed
- 1scotch bonnet, finely chopped
- juice of 4 limes
- 6 tablespoonsolive oil
- a handful of parsley, chopped
- a few sprigs of thyme
- black pepper
To serve
- bannann peze, fried green plantain
- or fried bread
- or crackers
- pikliz, Haitian pickled slaw
Directions
- Salt cod is cod preserved in heavy salt and dried. It arrives stiff as a board and far too salty. Rinse the surface salt off under cold water. Put the cod in a large bowl of cold water. Cover it and put it in the refrigerator. Change the water every six to eight hours.
- Taste a small flake at the end of soaking. It should taste pleasantly seasoned, not harsh. Soak it longer if it is still too salty. Drain the soaked cod and put it in a pan. Cover it with fresh cold water. Add the bay leaf to the water.
- Bring it slowly up to just below a simmer. Never let it boil, which makes it tough. Poach it for about eight minutes. The flesh should flake easily when pressed. Lift it out and let it cool a little. Shredding the cod takes some patience. Pull the skin off and discard it. Pull it apart into fine threads.
- Salt cod carries more bones than people expect. Pull out every single one you find. Slice the onions as thinly as you possibly can. Rinse the sliced onion in cold water. That takes the harsh raw edge off it. Squeeze it dry between your hands. Preparing the scotch bonnet needs caution. Wash your hands and the board thoroughly. Remove the seeds and membrane for less heat.
- Chop the chilli very finely indeed. Put the shredded cod in a large bowl. Add the sliced onion and pepper strips. Add the spring onions and crushed garlic. Add the chopped scotch bonnet. Add the parsley and the thyme leaves. Squeeze in all of the lime juice. Pour in all of the good olive oil.
- Season it well with black pepper. Toss everything together thoroughly. It very rarely needs any more. Add more lime if it seems flat. Add more oil if it seems harsh.
- Cover it and refrigerate it now. Give it at least one full hour. Peel green plantains and cut them into rounds. Fry them in oil until pale gold. Lift them out and flatten each one. Press them with a plate or a wooden press. Fry them again until crisp and golden.
- Salt them at once while still hot. Serving it is done cold on something crisp. Pile the cod salad onto each fried plantain. Serve pikliz alongside for extra heat. It keeps three days refrigerated.
Technique
- Chiquetaille means shredded or torn to pieces, and the fineness of the shred is what defines the dish.
- Salt cod reached Haiti through the North Atlantic trade that supplied cheap preserved protein to plantations, and remained part of the diet long after.
- The cod carries so much salt that the salad almost never needs any more, so taste before adding any.
Substitutions
- Fresh cod poached and salted lightly can be used, though the flavour is much milder.
- Crackers or fried bread stand in for bannann peze.
Variations
- Some cooks add chopped tomato or avocado to the salad.
- A version made with smoked herring is called chiquetaille de hareng.
- It is also stirred into rice or eaten with boiled ground provisions.
History
Salt cod reached Haiti through the North Atlantic trade that supplied plantations; the shredded salad is served with bannann peze at parties.
Frequently asked questions
What is Chiquetaille de morue?
Chiquetaille de morue is a salad & side from Haiti: shredded salt cod with lime, onion and pepper, piled on fried bread. Salt cod reached Haiti through the North Atlantic trade that supplied plantations; the shredded salad is served with bannann peze at parties.
How long does Chiquetaille de morue take to make?
Chiquetaille de morue takes 30 minutes plus 24 hours soaking of preparation and 20 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 6. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Chiquetaille de morue?
Yes, within limits. Fresh cod poached and salted lightly can be used, though the flavour is much milder. Crackers or fried bread stand in for bannann peze.
What is the most important thing to get right in Chiquetaille de morue?
Bring it slowly up to just below a simmer. Never let it boil, which makes it tough. Poach it for about eight minutes. The flesh should flake easily when pressed. Lift it out and let it cool a little. Shredding the cod takes some patience. Pull the skin off and discard it. Pull it apart into fine threads.
