Codfish or Portuguese Bacalao
Serve: 8
Preparation Time - 60 minutes
Roasting Time - 60-70 minutes
Total Time - 120 minutes
Ingredients
. 2 pounds dried codfish (salted Bacalao), desalted, skinless and boneless cut into 1-2 inches pieces
. 2 pounds potatoes, thinly sliced in the mandolin, and lightly cooked
. 3 large onions, thinly sliced in the mandolin
. 4 large tomatoes, thinly sliced in the mandolin
. 10 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved
. 100 grams of black olives
. 100 grams of green olives
. ½ cup fresh cilantro, thinly chopped (for garnish)
. 1. ½ cups extra virgin olive oil (depending on taste)
. 4-6 hard-boiled pasture raised eggs (for garnish)
Preparation
Step 1 (soaking the dried codfish) - 24 hours before the dish preparation starts)
Cut the dried codfish into 1-2 inches pieces
Rinse the pieces of codfish under running water until the excess salt is completely removed
Place the slices of codfish into a large bowl with its “skin side” facing up
Cover the pieces of codfish with filtered water
Soak the codfish pieces for 24 hours (keep it refrigerated)
Change the water for at least 3-4 times over a 24-hour period
Before using the codfish in the recipe, drain completely the water
Keep the unsalted codfish in the refrigerator (until you start preparing the dish)
Step 2 (cooking the potatoes)
Unpeel and thinly slice potatoes using a mandolin
Wash and place potatoes in a large pan
Cover the sliced potatoes with filtered water
Over medium/high heat cook potatoes until the water comes to a boil
After boiling, wait 2 minutes, remove potatoes from heat
Drain immediately, reserve
(do not overcook the delicate thinly sliced potatoes)
Step 3 (cooking the eggs)
Gently place the eggs in a medium pot
Cover the eggs with filtered water
Cook the eggs over medium/ high heat for 12 minutes
Carefully drain the water and allow eggs to completely cool before peeling, reserve
Step 4
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Step 5 (preparing the cod fish – or bacalhoada)
Spread half of the olive oil in the bottom of a large extra deep baking dish (set aside ½ cup to the top of the dish)
Spread garlic evenly over olive oil
Divide into 2 equal parts the following ingredients:
. sliced tomatoes
. sliced onions
. olives
. gentle cooked finely sliced potatoes
Then, add on the top of the olive oil and garlic:
1 layer with half of the sliced onions
1 layer with half of the sliced tomatoes
1 layer with half of the lightly cooked potatoes
1 uniform layer with all cod fish pieces
Spread half of the black and green olives on the top of the cod fish pieces
Repeat another layer with the sliced onions (set aside a handful of onions to spread on top of the dish)
1 layer with the remaining boiled potatoes
1 layer with the remaining sliced tomatoes
Spread the remaining onion rings and olives over the sliced tomatoes
Drizzle the remaining olive oil on the top of the dish
Step 6
Wrap the baking dish with aluminum foil (the shining side facing the food)
Roast for 50 minutes
Carefully remove the dish from the oven
Carefully remove the aluminum foil from the top of the baking dish
Return the baking dish uncovered to the oven
Bake for another 10-20 minutes or until olive oil is boiling and tomatoes are cooked
Step 6 (garnish)
Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven
Garnish with fresh cilantro on the top
Top the dish with the boiled eggs cut as desired
Serve with white rice and green