Bacalhau da Consoada
Bacalhau da Consoada, the Christmas Eve cod, holds a profound place in Portuguese Christmas customs and food. Crafted with salted and dried cod (bacalhau), a culinary staple ingrained in Portuguese life for centuries, this humble yet enduring dish consistently graces the Christmas dinner table.
Bacalhau da Consoada
Served in slices, cooked with potatoes, eggs and cabbage, this dish of codfish is amazingly simple to prepare.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds salt cod cut into 6-8 fillets
- 1 1/2 pounds potatoes
- 1 large head cabbage cut into 8 pieces (or collard greens)
- 8 eggs sliced in half
For the sauce:
- 1 cup olive oil or to taste
- 1 clove garlic
- 6 teaspoon white wine vinegar or to taste
Instructions
- Fill with a large pot with enough boiling water to cover the fish by several inches. Cover the pan with a heavy dishtowel and leave the cod to soak in the hot water for 45-60 minutes.
- Once you're ready to cook the fish, place it in a deep pan together with the peeled and cubed potatoes and cabbage/collard greens. Cover with water, enough to fully cover the fish and vegetables by a few inches and cook it for 15-20 minutes until the fish and vegetables are tender.
- Separately, boil the eggs for about 10 minutes, until hard.
- Meanwhile prepare the sauce by heating up the olive oil and frying the minced garlic until golden. Add the vinegar to your taste (a little at a time) and keep the sauce warm until it's time to serve.
- Carefully drain the cod, potatoes and cabbage. Remove any pieces of skin or bone off the cod and and arrange on a platter, along with the vegetables and halved eggs.
- Serve hot with the olive oil and vinegar sauce on the side.
- Optionally you can decorate this simple dish with pitted black olives or chopped greens for more effect.
Enjoy!
Notes
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