It isn’t hard to see the cultural connections between Catalonia and France, given the obvious geographic proximity. Recipes, Roman ruins, and modern wine-making techniques have all trickled over the border. Even the Catalan language stems in part from the medieval langue d’oc, echoes of which are still heard today in modern Provençal.
Samfaina is a dish that truly embodies the simplicity of Mediterranean cooking; a preparation remarkably similar to the famous, humble ratatouille of Provence. However, Samfaina foregoes the powerful herbs of its neighbor to the north, instead relying more on the subtle qualities of local produce, delicate olive oil, and the pan fond of the sautéed salt cod in the case of this classic recipe, Bacallà amb Samfaina.
Bacalao, in Spanish (bacallà in Catalan and bacalhau in Portuguese), is a term that is admittedly a bit confusing in Spain. The word can be used for both fresh cod fish, as well as the crusty, salty, dried cod fillets that have fed and fueled European trade for centuries. Treasured in northern Europe and throughout the reaches of the Mediterranean, as well as across the ocean in the Caribbean islands, salt cod as a product arose through necessity, poverty, and convenience. However, even after modern technology eliminated the need to preserve foods in a such a manner, the taste for the uniquely flavored and textured fish has endured (as has the taste for cured ham, aged cheese, pickled anchovies, and numerous other long-living Iberian delicacies).