An Argentine condiment used to accompany grilled steak and other meats, chimichurri is a pesto-like sauce made from onions, garlic, parsley, dried oregano, salt, cayenne pepper, oil and vinegar. It is best made fresh, but it is also occasionally available in dehydrated and bottled versions.
Legend has it that chimichurri was invented by a traveling Brit of some sort, its odd name a bastardization of possible inventors Jimmy McCurry, Jimmy Curry or James C. Hurray. Now a popular accompaniment throughout Latin America, it is often called the ketchup of Argentina.
Recipe: Chimichurri Marinade (Cookthink)
Recipe: Grilled Flat-Iron Steak With Chimichurri Sauce (Kalyn's Kitchen)
Salt cod is the term for salted and dried cod.
Caught in cold, northern waters such as those around Newfoundland and Norway, the fish are immediately filleted and salted onboard the fishing boats and air or sun-dried once on land -- a method of food preservation that has been around for hundreds of years. Salt cod is considered a staple food in many parts of the world including Spain and Portugal.
Overfishing has decimated the cod populations off the coast of Newfoundland, where other species of whitefish (such as whiting, haddock, hake and pollack) are now prepared in the same manner and called stockfish or saltfish.
The Portuguese dish, bolinhos de bacalhau, mixes salt cod with potatoes, egg and parsley. The French dish, brandade de morue, is a mixture of salt cod, potatoes, cream, garlic and olive oil that is served with toast points or crudités.
Related: How to prep salt cod (Cookthink)
Salt cod is salted and dried cod, a method of food preservation that has been around for hundreds of years.
To bring salt cod back to life and purge it of excess salt, you need to soak the fish in cool water for 24 hours, changing the water 4 to 5 times. Many chefs also swear by the slow running water method whereby cod is submerged in a dish of cold water and left in the sink under a slow-dripping faucet, so that the salty water is constantly replaced with fresh water.
Once the cod has finished soaking, you can pre-cook the fish for various recipes by placing it in a pan deep enough to hold the salt cod fillets and covering with 1 inch of water. Bring this to a simmer, remove from the heat, cover and let stand 20 minutes until the fish is tender and easily flaked. Once the fish is cooked, you can easily remove the skin and bones.
what you should know
A thousand years ago, the Basques were catching cod off the shores of North America, then drying and salting it to preserve the fish for market.
The salt cod's lean flesh lasted remarkably long when cured. And when soaked, the fish became flaky and had more flavor--more character--than freshly caught cod.
cod case The basic technique of drying cod has remained unchanged over the centuries. To rehydrate salt cod, soak it in cool water for 24 hours and then gently cook it.
scarce The appetite for cod--both fresh and salted--has decimated Atlantic cod populations over the years. Atlantic cod was once so bountiful that one English explorer named a cape after it and another reported that cod could be scooped out of the water with buckets. Today, the Canadian government considers the fish endangered.
classics Salt cod is the foundation for many classic dishes, including the French brandade de morue (a creamy fish spread), the Portuguese Bacalhau de Consoada (a composed salad served on Christmas Eve), and the Brazilian bolinhos de bacalhau (deep-fried croquettes of salt cod, potatoes and parsley).
what you need
Mark Kurlansky's troika of intertwined microhistories will give you the most complete picture of salt cod's impact on the world. Start with The Basque History of the World, then move on to Cod and finish up with Salt.
A skillet/griddle hybrid, Le Creuset's oval fish frying pan easily holds one whole fish or several fillets.
For frying salt cod fritters (and hush puppies), we prefer Lodge's deep 8-inch cast iron skillet.
what you do
This salt cod, tomato and chickpea salad makes a filling and protein-rich Mediterranean dinner. The tomatoes are key: Use the freshest, sweetest ones you can find.
Speaking of sweetness, it's the predominant taste in this light but flavorful salt cod, green bean, red pepper and tomato salad.
For a more powerful and complex salad, layer salt cod with oranges, red onion, black olives and parsley.
The world needs more dishes like brandade de morue, a potent southern French dip/spread starring salt cod, garlic and cream.
Featured recipe: The glories of deep frying are on full display in these salt cod and potato croquettes, which taste best when washed down with a cold beer.
Yerba mate is the green tea of South America.
A grassy tasting infusion made from the dried leaves (and sometimes twigs) of the yerba mate plant, it has less caffeine than coffee but is easier on the stomach. Devotees swear by it for creating alertness without the jittery effects of coffee.
In South America, yerba mate is traditionally sweetened with sugar substitute stevia and drunk from decorated gourd cups with a straw.
