A little celebration of Father’s Day.  Cheers!

By Barcelona Chef Eduardo Balaguer, owner of Venga Paella catering in the San Francisco Bay Area and author of Spanish Cuisine: One Region at a Time: Catalonia (2009, FolkHeart Press, www.folkheartpress.com).

Background: Salt Cod or Bacalao is a traditional Spanish dish that is commonly found in a variety of tapas recipes, it may now be bought dried and salted or de-salted, dependent upon how salty you like it, in many Spanish supermarkets.

It is considered by many Spanish cooks to be a tasty and nutritious base ingredient that is really handy to have in the cupboard because of its unique flavor and incredible versatility.

In Spain we celebrate Fathers Day (Dia de los Padres) on March 19^th and it is a celebration that is not taken lightly by the family. It customarily consists of a large family reunion with a large feast as the highlight of the day. The events of the day are how we show thanks to the “progenitor”.

The dishes that are prepared are most always the favorite dish of the father or fathers because this is “their” day. The meal preparation is usually done by the whole family and is often as festive as the meal itself.

My own dad, one of three children, was born in the late 1920’s. The economy was very tight in Spain when he was a child. I always remember hearing stories that were told over and again about the struggles his family faced. I have heard some “good time” stories and some “bad time” stories, but no matter which story was told, his father was always trying his best to care for and raise the three children to be upstanding citizens.

On Fathers Day though all things were put aside to celebrate and give thanks. Good food was always made regardless of the family’s finances and a celebration that would last at least six hours was mandatory.

One of my dad’s favorite dishes was Bacalao, a salt cod, onion and potato stew. My Grandma would soak the salt cod for three days making sure to change the water regularly so that the dish would have just the right amount of salt that my father loved. It was easy for my grandmother to delegate to all of us what was to be done, and it was always a treat for me to have an “adult” responsibility in the food preparation.

I recall trying the salt cod for the first time. As a child I thought it was absolutely awful. I would have much rather had eggs and chorizo or cake or pie any day, I thought to myself. The Father’s Day dish was not something I considered to be a delicious meal.

Fortunately I have grown out of that old taste habit. I have learned through relatives and through spending time in the kitchen with my mother to make that perfect salt cod dish that my father loves so much.

Here is the recipe for our traditional Father’s Day meal.

Bacalao

Serves 6

Ingredients:

500g dried salt cod soaked in cold water for a day (or up to three days depending on its stiffness and your salt preference). Poach until just cooked and then flake.

6 ripe tomatoes sliced

20 strong large green olives

A good handful of flat leafed parsley chopped

6 large waxy potatoes peeled and sliced

2 green peppers sliced

2 cloves of garlic sliced

2 onions sliced

Directions:

1. Mix the cod with the tomatoes olives and parsley and a little olive oil.
2. Fry the peppers, garlic and onions in olive oil for a few minutes and then add the potatoes making sure there is enough oil to keep them coated.
3. Season with black pepper.
4. Pour this into a suitably sized oven dish so that it forms a layer about 1 inch deep.
5. Cover with foil and bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.
6. Add the cod and tomatoes to the dish. Mix gently, cover and return to the oven.
7. The Bacalao is ready when the potatoes are lightly browned (this takes about 30 minutes).

I hope you find ways to make Father’s Day memories with food, too!