Chef critique
Basque-Style Cod & Tomato Salad
This is a solid, straightforward recipe with excellent fish technique, but the bulk of the fresh salad components lacks salt.
Score: 8/10
Suggested fixes
- Increase the total Diamond Crystal kosher salt in the ingredient list to 4¼ teaspoons.
- In step 4, whisk 1½ teaspoons of Diamond Crystal kosher salt into the dressing before tossing it with the tomatoes, pepper, and onion.
Issues
- medium / flavor: While the cucumber is salted to draw out moisture, the remaining 20 ounces of vegetables (tomatoes, bell pepper, and onion) receive no seasoning. Following the 1% guideline, these vegetables require about 1½ to 2 teaspoons of Diamond Crystal kosher salt to be properly seasoned.
Strengths
- Perfectly calculates the salt for the cod (1.25% by weight).
- Provides an accurate and concise target temperature for lean white fish (140°F).
- Presents clear, actionable steps with good parallel workflow (seasoning the cod while the cucumber drains).