Before I start this quick post, I have to tell you that I´m having a giggle. The word cateto or cateta translates perhaps more literally as “Peasant”, but not in an offensive way. Before I started typing I just thought I´d do a quick translation check to see if there was another word I could use and all the on line translation tools, bizarrely come up with the word “leg”! Not quite sure what is going on there…but I decided to call it Country Salad.
It´s another celebration of that most Andalucían of fruits, the orange. Again, typically a poor person´s salad it was originally made with salt cod as it was cheap and you didn´t need to use much. A few other bits of country produce like potatoes, peppers and olives, a good soak in olive oil and you were done.
Of course, nowadays you can get all sorts of glorified versions, but the one I´m giving you here is the one you´ll find in all my local bars and homes around here. It´s served as tapas in bars, and as a light meal at home. Of course, some people make their own little tweaks, and why shouldn´t they? They might leave out the peppers and add tomatoes. Some people like tomatoes or onions in it, others don´t. And complete heathens, like me, sprinkle chopped fresh chili all over it to the amazement of their other halves….each to his own I say!
This is what you´ll need (approximately) per person as a light main dish servng size
- 1 hard boiled egg, finely chopped
- 2 medium potatoes (boiled in their skin) peeled then chopped into chunks
- 1 small tin of tuna (I use tuna in brine and drain it, but use your favourite)
- 1 roasted red pepper, chopped
- 2 medium oranges (bitter if possible) peeled and cut into chunks
- About 2 tablespoons of pitted olives sliced (or use ones with stones, your choice!)
- Optional – chopped onion, chopped tomato, small flakes of salt cod (or use whatever you have available)
- Salt & Pepper
- Olive oil
- White wine Vinegar (optional) but I like to use it
All you need to do it combine everything in a bowl, season and dress it and leave it for at least half an hour in the fridge so that the potatoes can soak up some of the lovely olive oil.
Good to serve at a party or buffet as it can be prepared ahead and does not suffer from being forgotten in the fridge for several hours. Hope you enjoy it!
Chica Andaluza 
I love the leggy salad. Um, peasant, um country salad. I also love that you use orange in so many of your dishes. Just wonderful.
Thanks so much! And how weird was that translation?! Nothing remotely like the real word…
Country Peasant Leg salad….it’s very funny if you Nash the names all together. 😉
Wonderful looking salad! I agree with Greg, love your use of oranges.
Country Peasant Leg salad….it’s very funny if you mash the names all together. 😉
Wonderful looking salad! I agree with Greg, love your use of oranges.
Mash not Nash
Chuckle! Mayhbe in the old days they threw country peasant legs in to bulk it out…:)
A bit of leg salad on the side – nice!
🙂 Mandy
Can´t look at it in quite the same way anymore!
Love to eat oranges in salads. This is a new one for me. Thank you !
It´s delicious – especially if the oranges are a little more acidic. Try it!
I love orange in salad and what a mix, I bought tuna for the first time in a long time and was going to find something new to do with it, a bit of a leg salad… love it….RaeDi
Your tuna will thank you for it! Don´t forget the legs though….!
My father is obsessed with putting oranges in every possible salad! I’m forwarding this post onto him so that he can gloat!
Maybe he has Andalucian blood flowing through his veins?! It is a lovley salad though, can highly recommend it.
name it CPL salad 🙂
whatever you call it.it sounds amazing!
Love it! Could start a new trend with the name!
This sounds fabulous!!! Pity I just ate the last of my oranges or else I’d make this for lunch tomorrow. I’ll bookmark the recipe though so I can make it one of these warm summer days. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe! 🙂
Thank you for visiting and your kind words – hope you enjoy it when you do get to make it!
I am not a big fan of fruit in savoury salads for some odd unknown reason 🙂
It´s a funny combination I suppose, but this is better with sour oranges…adds a vinegary or acid note to the salad rather than sugary.
Naranja agria juice would be nice as the main ingredient for a vinaigrette for ensalada cateta. 🙂
It would be perfect – all that lovely tangy, citrusy flavour!