Bacalao

Being a predominantly North Atlantic fish, fresh cod or ‘bacalao’ rarely features in fish markets around Spain; however, the cured version, salt cod, also known as bacalao, is a different matter entirely. There are market stalls entirely dedicated to salt cod, selling different cuts and cures for different dishes, some at varying degrees of soaking, even a selection of classic recipes already prepared for you to take home. This Spanish and indeed Portuguese affection for salt cod (the Portuguese boast a different salt cod dish for every day of the year) dates back to the fifteenth century when cod was fished off the shores of North America, cured and brought to Europe. Salt cod has a distinctive smell, taste and sticky texture, which make it unique and, along with hake, is one of Spain’s most popular fish.