Bacalhau à Brás
Lisbon’s favorite of the 365 salt cod dishes: shredded bacalhau folded with onions, matchstick potatoes and softly set eggs.
- prep
- 20 min
- cook
- 20 min
- total
- 40 min
- serves
- 4
- level
- easy
Portugal claims a salt cod recipe for every day of the year, and à Brás is the one Lisbon would take to a desert island: bacalhau shredded into slow-cooked onions, tossed with crisp potato matchsticks, and bound with eggs taken off the heat while still creamy.
The bag of batata palha, ready-made matchstick potatoes, is standard practice in Portuguese kitchens, not a cheat. The real work is desalting the cod properly the day before.
Bacalhau à Brás is one of the world's classic dishes from 67 countries.
method
Poach the desalted cod in barely simmering water for 5 minutes, then skin, bone and shred it.
Cook the onions with the bay in the olive oil over medium-low heat for 15 minutes until silky and sweet. Add the garlic for the last 2.
Fold in the shredded cod and warm through.
Add most of the matchstick potatoes, tossing to mix.
Pour in the eggs and fold gently off and on the heat until barely set and still glossy; creamy, not scrambled.
Finish with parsley, pepper, the rest of the crisp potatoes on top, and the olives.
chef's tips
- Desalting is the recipe: 24 hours minimum, 48 for thick pieces, cold water changed morning and night.
- Pull the pan off the heat while the eggs still look slightly underdone; the carryover finishes them.
- Half the potatoes go in (to soften) and half on top (to crunch); that contrast is the dish.