Bacalhau à Brás
Salt cod shreds fried until crispy, tossed with matchstick potatoes and olives, then finished with a drizzle of garlic-infused oil. A rustic Portuguese classic that tastes restaurant-quality but comes together in under 45 minutes.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 580
- Protein
- 42g
Ingredients
- ¾ lb salt cod, skin and bones removed
- 1 lb russet potatoes
- 1 cup olive oil
- 4 whole garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Place the salt cod in a bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for 24 hours in the refrigerator, changing the water 3 times, until the cod is softened and desalted.
- 2
After soaking, place the cod in a small pot, cover with fresh cold water, and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook for 15 minutes until the flesh flakes easily when poked with a fork.
- 3
Remove the cod from the pot with a slotted spoon and place it on a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, shred the flesh into small bite-sized pieces, discarding any remaining skin or bones.
- 4
Peel the potatoes with a vegetable peeler, then cut them lengthwise into thin slices about the thickness of a coin. Stack the slices and cut lengthwise again into thin matchsticks, like thin french fries.
- 5
Place the matchstick potatoes in a bowl of cold water and soak for 10 minutes to remove excess starch, then drain and pat completely dry with a clean kitchen towel.
- 6
Heat 0.75 cup of the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and a single potato stick sizzles immediately when dropped in, about 2 minutes.
- 7
Add the dried potato matchsticks in batches, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until they turn golden brown and crispy, about 8–10 minutes per batch. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a paper-towel-lined plate.
- 8
In the same skillet, with the heat still on medium-high, add the remaining 0.25 cup olive oil and the minced garlic. Stir constantly for 30 seconds until the kitchen smells strongly of roasted garlic.
- 9
Add the shredded cod to the skillet and stir gently for 2 minutes until it is warmed through and coated with the garlic oil.
- 10
Remove the skillet from the heat and add the crispy potatoes, olives, and parsley. Toss gently until everything is evenly combined, then taste and add a pinch of salt and black pepper.
- 11
Divide the bacalhau à brás between two serving bowls or plates and drizzle any remaining garlic oil from the skillet over the top.
Tools you’ll need
- large mixing bowl
- vegetable peeler
- cutting board
- sharp knife
- small pot with lid
- slotted spoon
- paper towels
- large deep skillet (12-inch)
- wooden spoon
- serving bowls or plates
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