Recipe: Bacalhau à Brás (salt cod with potatoes, onions and eggs)

The Story

Bacalhau à Brás is served as a warm dish of flaked salt cod folded through fried potatoes, onions and softly set eggs, finished with parsley and black olives.

Serves four. The recipe instructs soaking 450 g of salt cod in cold water in the fridge for one to two days, changing the water 3 or 4 times per day, then poaching the cod for about 20 minutes in 500 ml of olive oil at the lowest heat until it turns opaque and flakes when nudged with a fork.

After poaching, the cod should be lifted out to cool, then pulled into large flakes, discarding any skin and bones; the method also calls for saving 4 tablespoons of the poaching oil for the onions.

For the potatoes, the recipe directs cutting 500 g of russet or Yukon Gold potatoes into very thin matchsticks, rinsing and drying them thoroughly, then frying them in hot oil in small batches until golden and crisp for about 5 to 6 minutes per batch, draining and sprinkling with 1/2 tsp salt.

To finish the dish, warm the reserved poaching oil in a large frying pan with 2 medium onions (thinly sliced) and 4 garlic cloves (finely sliced), cooking for about 12 minutes until soft and golden at the edges.

Add the flaked cod and warm it through for a minute or two, then toss in the fried potatoes.

Beat 6 large eggs with 1/2 tsp black pepper, pour over the cod and potatoes, and stir on low heat gently and constantly until the eggs are just set and creamy, like soft scrambled eggs.

Serve by spooning onto warm plates and scattering with a small bunch of chopped flat-leaf parsley and 12 black olives.