Bacalhau à Lagareiro
Salt cod baked until tender with roasted potatoes, aromatics, and a golden olive oil crust. A showstopping Portuguese classic that tastes far more complex than its simple ingredient list suggests.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 48g
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb salt cod fillets (bacalhau), skin-on
- 1.5 lb waxy potatoes (Yukon Gold or similar)
- 2 medium onions, yellow or white
- 8 cloves garlic cloves
- ¾ cup olive oil, divided
- 3 whole bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, flat-leaf
- 1 whole lemon
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- 1
Place the salt cod fillets in a large bowl, cover completely with cold water, and soak in the refrigerator for 24 hours, changing the water every 6–8 hours to remove salt.
- 2
After soaking, drain the cod, pat it completely dry with paper towels, and place it skin-side up on a plate.
- 3
Cut the potatoes into 2-inch pieces — rough chunks — leaving the skin on; place them in a bowl.
- 4
Slice each onion lengthwise from root to tip into 0.5-inch-thick half-moons; place in a separate bowl.
- 5
Peel each garlic clove and leave whole; set aside in a small bowl.
- 6
Chop the fresh parsley leaves finely — until pieces are pencil-tip sized — and set aside.
- 7
Cut the lemon in half and set aside for juicing at the end.
- 8
Preheat the oven to 400°F and wait until the indicator light or beep confirms it has finished heating, about 10 minutes.
- 9
Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large shallow roasting pan (at least 9-by-13 inches), then scatter the potato pieces in a single layer.
- 10
Roast the potatoes in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until they begin to soften slightly on the outside but are still firm when pierced with a fork.
- 11
Remove the pan from the oven and scatter the onion slices and whole garlic cloves evenly over the potatoes.
- 12
Drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the vegetables, sprinkle with the peppercorns, and lay 3 bay leaves on top.
- 13
Return the pan to the oven and roast for another 10 minutes until the onions soften and the potato edges begin to brown.
- 14
Remove the pan from the oven and nestle the salt cod skin-side up directly on top of the vegetables in the center.
- 15
Pour the remaining olive oil (about 5–6 tablespoons) slowly over the cod skin, letting it cascade down and pool around the fish and vegetables.
- 16
Return to the oven and bake for 12–15 minutes until the cod flesh turns pure white and flakes easily when pressed gently with a fork.
- 17
Remove the pan from the oven and squeeze the juice of both lemon halves evenly over the cod and vegetables.
- 18
Scatter the chopped fresh parsley in a mound over the top and season with the sea salt and black pepper.
- 19
Serve the entire contents of the pan directly to a platter or divide among four shallow bowls, ensuring each portion includes cod, potatoes, onions, and aromatic oil.
Tools you’ll need
- large bowl
- paper towels
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- 9-by-13-inch shallow roasting pan
- oven
- fork
- large spoon or tongs
- measuring cups and spoons
- small bowls
- serving platter or four shallow bowls
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