I am not entirely sure who to thank for this dish’s roots but if I say Tuscan, Roman and Greek empires had a hand in bread salad along with some Scottish produce I feel I am not leaving anyone out.
Human Psychology helps us to be naturally attracted to bright colours, probably from our days as tree rats foraging for berries but its proven to keep us in a ‘happy place’. So this salad will not only be very good for you it will also raise a big smile in the gloom of winter, ah the power of food!
Serves 6
½ loaf of Italian bread cut into dice
Extra virgin greek olive oil
4 vine ripened tomatoes blanched and skinned
2 red 1 yellow pepper
1 red onion peeled and finely sliced
1 handful of rocket leaves
1 lemon segmented
20 quality olives stoned removed and halved
1 tablespoon of capers rinsed
12 basil leaves stalk removed
Tablespoon of olive oil
6 small skinless cod portions around 100g each
1 wedge of lemon
Using a cooling wire over a gas ring blackened the peppers whole directly over the flame carefully turning, allow to cool then rub skins off, remove seeds and finely dice. Coat bread in virgin olive oil and bake in moderate oven till golden not dry, heat a non stick frying pan up, lightly season the cod with salt and pepper and fry the cod till golden on both sides in the olive oil, turn the heat down and allow to finish cooking briefly in the pan for a minute remove from the heat while you assemble the salad. In a large bowl simply combine all the ingredients with a good glug of extra virgin olive oil, place the cod on each warm plate and gently equally place the salad over and around the fish as shown, quickly return the cod pan to the stove and deglaze with the lemon juice from the segment add a splash of virgin olive oil a little salt and pepper and spoon over the warm salad, enjoy.