Portuguese · Lisbon · dinner

Bacalhau à Brás

bacalhau à brás

Bacalhau à Brás is one of Portugal's most beloved everyday dishes — shredded salt cod tangled with crispy potato sticks, soft-scrambled eggs, and briny black olives. It was born in Lisbon's Bairro Alto neighborhood, reputedly named after a tavern owner named Brás, and it captures everything the Portuguese do best: thrift, technique, and deep flavor from simple things. If you've never cooked with salt cod before, this is the perfect entry point.

• salt cod fillet (bacalhau), boneless and skinless

  1 lb

  450g

  Substitution · hard-to-find

  Original: bacalhau (dried salt cod). Fresh or frozen cod fillet works in a pinch — skip the soaking steps and instead simmer the fresh cod in lightly salted water for 8 minutes, then shred. The flavor will be milder and less complex, but still good.

• russet potatoes, peeled

  1 lb (about 2 medium)

  450g

• olive oil, divided

  1/2 cup

  120ml

• neutral oil (canola or vegetable) for frying

  2 cups

  480ml

• yellow onions, thinly sliced into half-moons

  2 large (about 3 cups sliced)

  350g

• garlic cloves, thinly sliced

  4 cloves

  20g

• bay leaves

  2 leaves

  1g

• large eggs

  6 eggs

  300g

• Portuguese black olives (or Kalamata olives), pitted or whole

  1/2 cup

  80g

• fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

  1/3 cup loosely packed

  15g

• fine sea salt

  to taste

  to taste

• black pepper, freshly ground

  1/2 tsp

  1g

1. 01

   10 min

   Soak the salt cod: Place the salt cod in a large bowl and cover generously with cold water. Refrigerate for 12 hours minimum — 24 hours is better for thicker pieces. Change the water at least 3 times during soaking. This draws out the salt and rehydrates the fish. Taste a small flake after soaking; it should be pleasantly seasoned, not aggressively salty. If it's still very salty, soak another few hours with one more water change. (If using fresh cod, skip this step entirely.)

2. 02

   15 min

   Poach the cod: Drain the soaked cod and place it in a saucepan. Cover with fresh cold water and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook for 8–10 minutes until the fish flakes easily. Do not boil hard — that toughens the fish. Drain and let cool enough to handle, then flake the cod into small shreds with your fingers, removing any stray bones or skin. Set aside.

3. 03

   20 min

   Make the potato sticks: Cut the peeled potatoes into very thin matchsticks, about 1/8-inch (3mm) thick — a mandoline or the julienne blade of a box grater makes this easier. Pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels; moisture causes splattering and soggy fries. Heat the neutral oil in a medium heavy saucepan or deep skillet to 350°F (175°C). Fry the potato sticks in two or three batches so they don't crowd each other, 3–4 minutes per batch until golden and crisp. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and season lightly with salt. (You can also use good-quality store-bought shoestring potato sticks — the kind in a can — as a shortcut; add them at the very end so they stay crispy.)

4. 04

   22 min

   Cook the onion base: In a large wide skillet (12-inch / 30cm works well), warm 1/4 cup (60ml) of the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onions and bay leaves. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 18–20 minutes until the onions are very soft, translucent, and just beginning to turn golden at the edges. Don't rush this — soft, sweet onions are the soul of this dish. Add the sliced garlic for the last 3 minutes of cooking. Remove and discard the bay leaves.

5. 05

   4 min

   Add the cod: Add the shredded salt cod to the skillet with the onions. Drizzle in the remaining 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil. Stir gently over medium heat for 2–3 minutes to warm everything through and let the flavors meld. Taste here — the cod and olives will add salt, so hold off on seasoning until the eggs go in.

6. 06

   2 min

   Beat the eggs: In a bowl, whisk the 6 eggs with the black pepper and just a small pinch of salt (remember the cod is already seasoned). You want them well combined but not frothy.

7. 07

   5 min

   Scramble everything together: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the fried potato sticks to the skillet and toss gently with the cod and onion mixture. Pour the beaten eggs over everything. Now stir slowly and continuously with a wooden spoon or spatula, folding the mixture from the edges toward the center. The goal is very soft, barely-set curds — think creamy scrambled eggs, not dry or rubbery. Pull the pan off the heat while the eggs still look slightly underdone; residual heat will finish them. This takes about 3–4 minutes. Do not overcook — dry Bacalhau à Brás is the one thing the Portuguese will not forgive.

8. 08

   2 min

   Finish and serve: Scatter the black olives and chopped parsley over the top. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust. Serve immediately, straight from the pan to the table. Bacalhau à Brás waits for no one — the potatoes soften quickly once the eggs set around them.

• · Could not parse amount_metric: "to taste"
• · fine sea salt: no grams conversion

Reheating · Fish dries quickly when reheated. Use low heat with moisture, or serve cold over salad.

Source: foodkeeper