Ensalada malagueña — cod, orange and potato salad

Cut the potatoes into pieces about 3 cm across. Put them in a pot, add 1 l water and 3 g salt, and bring to a boil. Simmer gently for about 15–20 minutes, until fork-tender but not starting to fall apart. Drain thoroughly, discarding the water, and spread the potatoes in a single layer on a wide, clean plate.

While the potatoes cook, divide the drained cod into similar pieces no more than 3 cm thick. Use fish desalted by the producer and intended for cooking; dry, hard salt cod is not a substitute in these quantities. Arrange the fish in a small, wide saucepan, add 40 ml water and cover. Heat until gentle steam appears, then cook over low heat for about 8–10 minutes, turning the pieces halfway through. The fish should be cooked through and flake easily; cook thicker pieces for a few minutes longer. Do not let the liquid boil vigorously.

Transfer the cod to a separate clean plate and keep all the liquid remaining in the saucepan in a small bowl for the dressing. After about 10 minutes of initial cooling, refrigerate the potatoes, fish and liquid for 30–40 minutes, until cool. Spreading the ingredients in a thin layer speeds up cooling. For the next stages, use a clean cutting board, knife and bowl that have not been in contact with raw fish.

Peel the oranges, remove the seeds and thick white pith, and cut the flesh into bite-size pieces over a bowl. Weigh out a total of 400 g prepared flesh and collected juice. Thinly slice the scallions. Halve the drained olives without pits. Keep all the juice from the prepared portion of oranges; do not add the olive brine.

Gently separate the chilled cod into large flakes, checking that no stray bones remain. Add all the olive oil and all the juice from the orange bowl to the reserved, cooled fish cooking liquid. Mix with a fork until combined. No extra salt is needed in this version: the desalted cod and olives still bring a salty flavor.

Put the cooled potatoes, oranges, scallions and olives in a large bowl. Add the cod flakes, pour over all the prepared dressing and mix gently with two spoons, without crushing the fish or potatoes. Cover and refrigerate for 15–20 minutes. Any dressing that collects at the bottom remains part of the salad.

Carefully stir the salad once more before serving. Divide all the ingredients and all the dressing between four servings. Serve cool, without extra ingredients. Keep refrigerated until serving; transfer any leftover salad to a sealed container and eat within 24 hours. Do not leave it on a warm table for an extended time.