Bacalhau a Bras (Salt Cod with Eggs and Potatoes)

Name: Bacalhau a Bras (Salt Cod with Eggs and Potatoes)
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Portuguese
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs dried salt cod (bacalhau), desalted, shredded; 1.5 lbs russet potatoes, cut matchstick; 6 tbsp olive oil; 2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 8 large eggs, lightly beaten; 1/2 cup black olives (Kalamata or Portuguese-style), halved; 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped; 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 2 cups neutral oil (vegetable or canola)

A classic Portuguese dish of shredded salt cod scrambled together with thin-cut potatoes, onions, and eggs, finished with olives and parsley. Plan ahead: the salt cod must soak in cold water for 24-48 hours, changing the water several times.

80 minMediumServes 4470 cal/serving

PortugueseDinnerStovetopPescatarianHigh ProteinHalal-friendlyDairy-FreeGluten-FreePork-FreeAlcohol-FreeCorn-Free

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Ingredients

1.5 lbs dried salt cod (bacalhau), desalted, shredded
1.5 lbs russet potatoes, cut matchstick
6 tbsp olive oil
2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup black olives (Kalamata or Portuguese-style), halved
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
2 cups neutral oil (vegetable or canola)

Instructions

1

Rinse the soaked 1.5 lbs dried salt cod (bacalhau), desalted and pat dry, then use your hands or two forks to shred it into small flakes, removing any skin or bones. Set aside.
2

Heat 2 cups neutral oil (vegetable or canola) in a deep skillet over medium-high heat to 350°F. Fry the 1.5 lbs cut matchstick russet potatoes in batches until lightly golden and just tender, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels and season lightly with 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper.
3

Pour out most of the frying oil, leaving about 2 tablespoons. Add 6 tbsp olive oil to the skillet over medium heat. Cook the 2 medium thinly sliced yellow onion until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the 4 minced garlic cloves and cook 1 more minute.
4

Add the shredded dried salt cod (bacalhau), desalted to the pan and stir to combine with the onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes until heated through.
5

Add the fried russet potatoes to the pan and toss everything together gently.
6

Lower the heat to medium-low. Pour 8 lightly beaten large eggs over the mixture and stir gently and continuously with a wooden spoon until the eggs are just set but still creamy and slightly soft, about 2-3 minutes. Do not overcook.
7

Remove from heat. Scatter 1/2 cup halved black olives (Kalamata or Portuguese-style) and 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley over the top, season with additional black pepper to taste, and serve immediately.

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Questions

How hot should the oil be for this recipe?

For this recipe, the frying oil is held at 350 F (about 175 C) in step 2. Hotter scorches the outside before the inside cooks, and cooler turns it greasy.

How do I know when this recipe is done?

Go by the cues in the method rather than the clock. Step 4: cook until heated through. Step 6: cook until the eggs are just set but still creamy and slightly soft.

Why pat it dry first in this recipe?

Step 1 reads: "Rinse the soaked 1.5 lbs dried salt cod (bacalhau), desalted and pat dry, then use your hands or two forks to shred it into small flakes, removing any skin or bones." Surface water has to boil off before anything can brown. Drying at step 1 means the food sears in the first minute instead of steaming.

Does this recipe contain fish?

Yes: 1.5 lbs dried salt cod (bacalhau), desalted, shredded. The full allergen list for this entry is eggs and fish. Packaged ingredients vary by brand, so check labels if the allergy is serious.

Can I freeze this recipe?

It is not a good candidate. Refrigerate what is left of this recipe within two hours and eat it within two days (seafood turns fast). Reheat gently on the stovetop. Potatoes turn grainy in the freezer, so keep this one in the refrigerator.

Serve it with

Broa side
Peri-Peri Sauce sauce
Aletria dessert

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