Bacalhau Recipe

Desalting the cod

Rinse the dried salted cod under cold running water to remove surface salt. Place the cod in a non-reactive container and cover with 6 cups cold water. Refrigerate and soak 24 to 36 hours, changing the water 2–3 times (every 8–12 hours). For a milder flavor, do a final 1–2 hour soak in cold milk, then discard the milk and pat the cod dry with paper towels.

After soaking, check the cod for bones and remove any remaining bits. Cut the cod into serving-size pieces or flakes about 3–4 cm wide. Reserve.

Cook potatoes

Peel the potatoes and cut into 1 cm thick slices. Place in a large pot, cover with cold salted water by 2 cm and bring to a simmer. Cook until just tender, about 10–12 minutes depending on thickness. Drain and set aside. Keep warm.

Sweat onions and peppers

While potatoes cook, thinly slice the onion and red bell pepper into strips. Heat 40 ml olive oil in a large, wide sauté pan or casserole over medium heat. Add the onion, a pinch of salt, and the bay leaves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the bell pepper and continue to cook until softened, about 5 minutes more.

Add garlic and tomato

Add the minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant. Chop the fresh tomato (or add crushed canned tomato) and add to the pan. Stir in smoked paprika if using. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer the mixture until it thickens slightly, 6–8 minutes. Taste and adjust pepper and a small pinch of salt if needed (remember cod will add salt). Remove and discard bay leaves.

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) if you will finish in the oven, or keep the stove on low for stovetop braise.

In a shallow ovenproof casserole or wide sauté pan, drizzle 20 ml olive oil to lightly coat the bottom. Arrange half the potato slices in an even layer. Spoon half the tomato-onion-pepper sauce over the potatoes. Arrange the cod pieces over the sauce in a single layer. Cover the cod with the remaining sauce and then the remaining potato slices, overlapping neatly. Pour any accumulated cod resting liquid over the top and drizzle the remaining 40 ml olive oil evenly.

Cover the pan with a lid or foil and braise gently for 15 minutes on the stovetop over low heat, or transfer to the preheated oven and bake covered for 20 minutes. Then remove cover and bake or cook for an additional 5–8 minutes to meld flavors and slightly brown the top.

While the assembled dish is in its final cooking stage, hard-boil the eggs: place eggs in a small pot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, then turn off heat and let sit covered for 9 minutes. Transfer eggs to an ice bath, peel, and quarter.

When the casserole is done, remove from oven/stovetop. Taste and adjust seasoning with a small sprinkle of salt only if needed and freshly ground black pepper. Scatter chopped parsley and green olives across the top. Tuck the egg quarters into the casserole and drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil over everything. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.