Empedrat. White Bean Salad

How to prepare a bean or empedrat salad . The salad recipe today is one of those perfect to carry in a tupperware to work or take hiking in any country getaway.

I am talking about empedrat, a cold salad typical of Catalan cuisine that has cod and beans as main ingredients. As an accompaniment, tomatoes, red and green peppers, olives and onions are usually included, all seasoned with a good olive oil and a drizzle of vinegar.

Depending on the area where it is prepared, it is sometimes necessary to dispense with peppers and even substitute dried beans for other types of legumes such as lentils or chickpeas . It is in the classic mode of Mediterranean cuisine along with the roasted vegetables , the espencat , the spill , all dishes where grilled or raw vegetables are the common denominator, often accompanied by salted fish and / or legumes.  

Cod is used in salting and desalting, but we could use any other type of salted fish. Once desalinated, it is consumed like this, with no more work than the process of chopping it, well, rather tearing or breaking it, as tradition dictates.

The empedrat is a very complete salad that allows us to enjoy legumes during all seasons, not only in the form of stews that we often associate with cold and rainy weather. With proteins, vitamins, fiber and carbohydrates, among its components, it could perfectly be a unique balanced and healthy dish.

Preparing the white bean salad

1. The first thing we have to do in advance is to desalinate the salted cod. To do this we wash it to remove surface salt and soak it in water for 48 hours.
2. Taking the precaution of changing the water periodically twice a day. I advise you to keep the cod in the fridge during this process to prevent it from spoiling.
3. If we use pot beans, already cooked, we only have to weigh the necessary amount and reserve it.
4. If we prefer to cook our own beans we have to put them in cold water with half an onion, a carrot and salt, for 20 minutes in a fast pot or 2 hours in a traditional pot. Drain and reserve.
5. We wash the red and green peppers and cut them into small cubes. Peel the onion and chop it as small as possible.
6. Peel the tomatoes with a knife and cut them in the same way into small cubes. We reserve the vegetables.

Preparation of white bean empedrat

1. We cook the eggs in water for 12 minutes, we pass them in cold water, we remove the shell and cut them into cubes. We also cut the black olives by removing the bone. We reserve.
2. Crumble the already desalted cod. Ideally, do it with your hands, breaking it, instead of cutting it with a knife. We reserve.
3. We prepare the vinaigrette mixing the oil with the vinegar and we keep until dressing.
4. In a bowl we mix all the ingredients. Beans, shredded cod, bell peppers and onions, eggs, tomatoes, and olives. We mix all the ingredients and add the very chopped parsley.
5. We water with the vinaigrette and stir well until it is integrated.
6. We keep the salad in the fridge for 1 hour so that it is cold when it is served.

This salad is perfect, both in summer and winter. A different and very tasty starter that we can take as a dish or as part of the starters of a special meal.

You can see all the photos of the step by step in the next album .