Paloma Faith's bacalhau à Brás | Jamie Oliver recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the national dish of bacalhau? ›

Bacalhau (salted codfish) is the most popular base commodity in Portuguese cooking. Traditionally there are more than 365 different dishes, one for each day of the year. Bacalhau is so ingrained in the Portuguese national psyche that the dish is served as the main celebration meal at Christmas.

There are numerous bacalhau recipe variations, depending on region and tradition. In Portugal, it is said there are more than 365 ways to cook bacalhau, one for every day of the year; others say there are 1,001 ways.

Bacalhau is Portuguese for dry, salted cod, and is referred to as Bacalao in Spain or Bacala in Italy. Today we take a look at it from a Portuguese perspective. Historically, Bacalhau was the staple for these three predominately Catholic countries during Lent, when meat was considered a forbidden food.

To prepare the Bacalhau for consumption, it is soaked in freshwater for a minimum of 24 hours, with the water being changed to reduce the intensity of salt. The prepared Bacalhau is a very versatile protein that can be boiled, fried, stewed, roasted, or grilled, creating many varied dishes.

Bacalao is a Spanish term for dried, salted cod but also refers to a flavorful, slightly spicy stew with tomatoes, roast peppers, potatoes, and olives.

As cod was fished in such far away (and cold) waters, preservation was a crucial factor. Salt was (and still is) a precious ingredient to preserve food – particularly when fridges were not yet invented – and Portugal had both the salt and extensive experience in salting and fish preservation (garum food tour).

A typical portuguese lunch would be cheese (as an entree), caldo verde (soup), Bacalhau com natas (main dish) and arroz doce (dessert), probably accompanied by white wine.

It all started with the Vikings…

An advantageous exchange for the Portuguese, which had plenty of salt to sell. The consumption of salted cod quickly spread throughout Portugal due to its low cost and easy transportation.

Baccalà is cod fish. To explain, cod goes by different names depending on the way it is prepared. It is simply called “cod,” or merluzzo in Italian, when it is fresh or frozen.

Bacalhau

The national dish of Portugal, bacalhau is dried and salted codfish, which is usually soaked in milk or water before cooking. The Portuguese have been eating bacalhau since the 16th century when their fishing boats brought it back from Newfoundland.

How long do you soak bacalao? ›

Soak the Bacalao in the refrigerator for 8 hours with 2 to 3 changes of fresh cold water. After soaking the Bacalao for 2 hours in the refrigerator, drain the water from the bowl. Cover the bowl again completely with fresh cold water and repeat this process after 3 more hours of soaking in the refrigerator.

Brazilians eat bacalhau all year long, but it is most commonly prepared during the week of Easter, namely on Good Friday. If you are in search of a variation of this recipe but still want the flavor of salted cod, salt cod in cream is a similar dish that is also common during this time of year.

Place cod in the refrigerator after performing three to four water changes. Our Salt Cod is expedited to your door. Store in a cool dry place. Salt cod can stay between 18 and 24 months without refrigeration.

A «classic» bacalao needs an aromatic and fresh wine with a good acidity. In case you are using a lot of chilli, go for a wine that has a little bit of sweetness.

Storing Bacalao

Before soaking the bacalao, it can be in your refrigerator almost indefinitely, but wrap it well with many layers of plastic wrap and inside of a zip-top bag, as it can be smelly and overpower your kitchen.

The availability of salt for preservation and the ability to trade the dried fish internationally made bacalhau a practical and popular choice. Over time, it became deeply ingrained in Portuguese culture and cuisine, eventually being recognized as a national dish.

Paella is considered the national dish and originates from Valencia. According to the traditional recipe, paella is prepared with rabbit meat and vegetables. Today, however, there are countless variations: with fish and seafood, with meat and fish or even vegetarian.

Salt cod is comfort food on the Iberian Peninsula, where it is called bacalao in Spain or bacalhau in Portugal. Whatever its name, I have always been a fan. Salting and drying codfish changes the flavor, deepens it.

Commonly known around the world as spaghetti bolognese, in its authentic form 'Ragu alla Bolognese' is recognised as the national dish of Italy. Its origin can be traced back to Imola, a town near the city of Bologna, where a recipe was first recorded in the 18th century.