Bacalhau A Bras Recipes

MARIA'S PORTUGUESE BACALAU

Steps:

• Soak the dried salted cod in cold water for 24 hours, changing the water several times.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the soaked cod, and boil for about 5 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove cod from water, and save water for cooking potatoes. Remove skin and bones from the cod, and flake the meat into pieces using a fork. Set fish aside in a large bowl.
• In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, 1 clove of garlic, 1 tablespoon of parsley, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Pour over the fish, and toss lightly to coat.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place the potatoes into the fish water, and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain under cool water, peel and cut into 1/4 inch slices.
• While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, and saute until golden and caramelized. Stir one clove of garlic into the onions. Set aside.
• Layer half of the potato slices in the bottom of a greased 8x11 inch baking dish. Cover with half of the cod, then half of the onions. Repeat layers, ending with onion.
• Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned. Before serving, garnish the top with green and black olives, and hard-cooked eggs. Sprinkle with remaining parsley.

BACALHAU A BRAS (SALT COD SCRAMBLED WITH EGGS AND POTATOES)

Steps:

• Soak the cod overnight in several changes of cool water. Next day rinse the cod well, discard the skin, then with the fingers tear the cod into fine shreds and set aside.
• Lay the potatoes, one at a time, in the feed tube of a food processor fitted with the fine shredding disc and cut them into long thin shreds. Empty into a large sieve and rinse well under cool water. Pat potatoes very dry on paper towels.
• Meanwhile, heat the corn oil in deep 10-inch skillet or saute pan to 380 degrees, then fry the potatoes in small batches, separating the shreds, 8 to 10 seconds until the color of straw. With a skimmer lift the potatoes to paper towels to drain.
• In a heavy 12-inch skillet (not iron) set over low heat, saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil 2 minutes until they begin to color; turn the heat to its lowest point, cover and steam 20 minutes.
• Mix the cod into the onion mixture, cover and steam 10 minutes.
• Quickly whisk the eggs with the black pepper until frothy. Toss half the reserved potatoes with the cod mixture, pour in the eggs and raise the heat to moderate. Scramble 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until softly set.
• Ladle onto a small heated platter, wreathe with the remaining potatoes, sprinkle with parsley, garnish with black olives and serve.

PORTUGUESE BACALHAU à BRáS (SALT COD AND POTATOES)

Steps:

• Note: Soak Cod fish in water overnight.
• Next day change water and place Cod in a pot with enough water to cover it. Boil for about 15 minutes. Drain and let cool. Once Cod has cooled, flake it.
• Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to non stick pan and fry potatoes in batches each time using another tbsp of olive oil if necessary.
• Place paper towel on the bottom of a glass dish safe for the oven and keep fries warm in the oven.
• Once you are done with the potatoes add 1 tbsp of olive oil to pan and add the bay leaf. Simmer for about 2-3 minutes. remove bay leafs from pan (discard).
• add garlic, onions (pepper flakes if using) to the pan and saute until onions begin to soften.
• add the parsley and let saute a bit.
• add flaked Cod and keep tossing until Cod gets warm.
• add the eggs, keep stirring so not to let the eggs stick to pan. this mixture will start to look like scrambled eggs.
• Once you are done with your Cod and eggs mixture.
• Combine fries with Cod mixture.
• add olives if using.
• taste, add salt and black pepper if needed.
• when serving squeeze lemon juice from a slice of lemon ontop.
• add dash of tabsco sauce if using.
• Enjoy.

BACALHAU A BRAS

Steps:

• Fry chopped onion and garlic in oil.
• When cooked, add shredded, cooled, cod fish.
• Fry for about 5-6 minutes.
• Add beaten eggs, salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook until eggs are cooked.
• Place on a platter and sprinkle parsley over top.
• Use lemon pieces as a garnish- may also squeeze lemon juice from pieces on individual servings- up to you.