Bacalhau à Brás is probably the most popular Portuguese codfish recipe, and one of the tastiest ways to try codfish.
The story goes that it was born in a traditional restaurant in Lisbon, when the owner had to create a dish for his guests with little more than codfish in the kitchen.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 400 g codfish
- 2 large potatoes
- 3 medium onions
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 4 eggs
- Black olives
- Olive oil
- Fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the codfish in water for about 15 minutes. Let it cool, then flake it, removing the skin and bones.
- Peel the potatoes and soak them in water for at least 30 minutes. Grate them on the large holes of the grater, rinse again and dry them very well with a cloth.
- Heat the fryer to 150°C and fry the grated potatoes in small batches. Set aside.
- Slice the onions and chop the garlic.
- Cook the onions slowly in olive oil over low heat. When they start to turn golden, add the garlic and the bay leaf.
- Whisk 3 egg yolks with 1 whole egg and set aside.
- After 5 minutes, add the codfish to the pan and mix everything. Remove the bay leaf.
- Add two thirds of the potatoes and let them soften over medium heat.
- Take the pan off the heat, add the eggs and the rest of the potatoes and mix well.
- Serve with chopped parsley and black olives.
Watch the video
Download the Codfish Brás style recipe (PDF)
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