Braised salt cod (bacalhau a bras)

Salted cod is a popular addition to croquettes. This Portuguese recipe, with its combination of salt cod and potato is very different but still an illustration of how well these ingredients go together.

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 600 g bacalhau (dried salt cod)
• olive oil
• 3 brown onions, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 500 g potatoes, julienned
• 6 eggs, beaten
• salt and pepper
• black olives, chopped parsley, lettuce leaves, to serve

Soaking time overnight

Instructions

Soak the cod in cold water for 24 hours. Drain and dry, then shred the meat, making sure you remove all the bones and skin.

Heat olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan. Cook onion and garlic until softened. Add cod and stir to combine.

In a separate pan, heat more oil and deep-fry potato until golden. Add to cod mixture and stir through very gently with a fork.

Before serving, add eggs and mix very gently until eggs are cooked. Season to taste.

Serve with olives and chopped parsley on a lettuce leaf.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.