Bacalhau Portuguese Salt Cod Stew Food

SALT COD, ONIONS AND POTATOES: BACALHAU A GOMES DE SA

Steps:

• Soak the cod in cold water to cover for 24 to 36 hours, changing the water occasionally, drain.
• Flake the cod into small pieces, removing any bones. Set aside. In a large saute pan, over medium heat, add 1/4 cup of the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and the garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until lightly golden, about 6 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease a medium ovenproof casserole dish with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper.
• Spread half of the potatoes over the bottom of the prepared dish. Sprinkle half of the salt cod over the potatoes. Place half of the onion mixture over the salt cod. Top the onion mixture with more salt cod. Place another layer of potatoes over the top of the cod. Drizzle the entire pan with the remaining 1/4 cup of oil. Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden. Place on a serving platter. Garnish with the sliced eggs, olives, and parsley.

SALT COD (BACALHAU, BACALAO, MORUE, BACCALà) STEW

Steps:

• Soak the salt cod in lots of cold water for at least 24 hours, changing the water every 4-6 hours to remove the salt. Salt cod varies in its saltiness, and some may need as much as 48 hours to soak. Do not skimp on the soaking, because I don't know how to remove the salt later in the recipe!
• When you are ready to cook the stew, soften the onion and garlic in the olive oil.
• When soft, add the tinned tomatoes, fresh cherry tomatoes and herbes de provence.
• Drain the salt cod, rinsing well, and squeezing out all the water.
• Add the cod to the saucepan with the tomato mixture, and stir well.
• Cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes until the fish is nearly cooked.
• Add the courgettes (zucchini), chilli flakes, fennel seeds, chopped capers and black pepper.
• Turn up the heat and boil until the courgettes (zucchini) are cooked and the liquid has mostly evaporated, leaving a stew -like consistency. This took me about 20 minutes.
• Stir in the shredded basil leaves, then serve the fish stew immediately with mashed potatoes or polenta.

BACALHAU PORTUGUESE AO FORNO (SALT COD WITH TOMATOES AND OLIVES)

Steps:

• Soak cod in a large bowl of water in the refrigerator for 24 hours, changing soaking water 4 times to remove excess salt.
• Drain water off cod; add lemon juice and salt. Let marinate in the refrigerator, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Arrange layers of cod, potatoes, onions, and tomatoes in a large baking dish. Place bay leaves on top. Drizzle olive oil over baking dish and season with salt.
• Bake in the preheated oven until potatoes are tender and cod flakes easily with a fork, about 30 minutes. Add olives and parsley and continue baking until heated through, about 3 minutes more.

PORTUGUESE BACALHAU à BRáS (SALT COD AND POTATOES)

Steps:

• Note: Soak Cod fish in water overnight.
• Next day change water and place Cod in a pot with enough water to cover it. Boil for about 15 minutes. Drain and let cool. Once Cod has cooled, flake it.
• Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to non stick pan and fry potatoes in batches each time using another tbsp of olive oil if necessary.
• Place paper towel on the bottom of a glass dish safe for the oven and keep fries warm in the oven.
• Once you are done with the potatoes add 1 tbsp of olive oil to pan and add the bay leaf. Simmer for about 2-3 minutes. remove bay leafs from pan (discard).
• add garlic, onions (pepper flakes if using) to the pan and saute until onions begin to soften.
• add the parsley and let saute a bit.
• add flaked Cod and keep tossing until Cod gets warm.
• add the eggs, keep stirring so not to let the eggs stick to pan. this mixture will start to look like scrambled eggs.
• Once you are done with your Cod and eggs mixture.
• Combine fries with Cod mixture.
• add olives if using.
• taste, add salt and black pepper if needed.
• when serving squeeze lemon juice from a slice of lemon ontop.
• add dash of tabsco sauce if using.
• Enjoy.

MARIA'S PORTUGUESE BACALAU

Steps:

• Soak the dried salted cod in cold water for 24 hours, changing the water several times.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the soaked cod, and boil for about 5 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove cod from water, and save water for cooking potatoes. Remove skin and bones from the cod, and flake the meat into pieces using a fork. Set fish aside in a large bowl.
• In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, 1 clove of garlic, 1 tablespoon of parsley, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Pour over the fish, and toss lightly to coat.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place the potatoes into the fish water, and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain under cool water, peel and cut into 1/4 inch slices.
• While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, and saute until golden and caramelized. Stir one clove of garlic into the onions. Set aside.
• Layer half of the potato slices in the bottom of a greased 8x11 inch baking dish. Cover with half of the cod, then half of the onions. Repeat layers, ending with onion.
• Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned. Before serving, garnish the top with green and black olives, and hard-cooked eggs. Sprinkle with remaining parsley.