Esqueixada facts for kids
Esqueixada (say "ess-kay-SHAH-thah") is a yummy traditional salad from Catalonia, a region in Spain. It's often enjoyed when the weather is warm. This special salad is made with shredded salt cod, fresh tomatoes, onions, olive oil, and vinegar. Sometimes, people add olives or hard-boiled eggs to make it even tastier. Some recipes might even include eggplant or bell peppers.
Esqueixada is very popular in summer. It is often served as a tapas dish. Tapas are small plates of food, perfect for sharing.
The "Catalan Ceviche"
Esqueixada is sometimes called the "Catalan ceviche". Ceviche is a dish usually made with raw fish. While the cod in Esqueixada is not raw, it is salt-cured and dried. This means it has been preserved with salt and then dried. It is then soaked to remove some of the salt. The cod is then mixed with other ingredients in a special liquid called a marinade. A marinade is a sauce that adds flavor to food.
How Esqueixada Gets its Name
The name of this dish comes from the Catalan verb esqueixar. This word means "to tear" or "to shred". This is important because the salt cod in Esqueixada is always torn into pieces using fingers. It is never sliced or chopped with a knife. Tearing the cod helps give the salad the perfect texture.
Ingredients You Might Find
The main ingredients in Esqueixada are:
Sometimes, people add other tasty things like:
Each family or restaurant might have its own special way to make Esqueixada.
