Bacalhau in Portugal

 One of the foods that I had read about and wanted to eat while I was in Portugal was Bacalhau. Made with dried salted cod fish, I soon realized that there were many many versions of this dish- sometimes it was made with cream, sometimes beer or wine and sometimes sausage or lobster was added. Bacalhau could be made many different ways. The dish I ordered at a roadside restaurant had been prepared much like the recipe that I have included at the end of this article, with potatoes and onions and lots of butter. I was not disappointed!

 

These fish were being arranged to dry in the sun- notice the nets overhead to keep the birds away.

This woman carried a container of dried fish on her head, and people approached her to purchase fish.

 Nero Wolfe's Bacalhau

(Portuguese Salt Cod)

1 1/2	lb	To 2 lb soaked dried cod *
2	lrg	Onions, sliced
6	tbl	Butter
1	cl	Garlic, minced
3	lrg	Potatoes
2	tbl	Bread crumbs
10	x	Pitted green olives
10	x	Black olives
4	x	Hard-cooked eggs
1/2	cup	Chopped fresh parsley
		Wine vinegar
		Olive oil
		Fresh ground black pepper

• * NOTE: To prepare dried cod, soak in cold water for about 24 hours, or until it is completely moistened. Change the water two or three times.
• Drain thoroughly.
• Put the cod into a saucepan and add enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, reducethe heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the fish is tender. Drain; remove skin and bones. Flake the meat with a fork into large pieces. Saute the onions in 3 tablespoons ofbutter until they are tender and golden in color. Add the garlic. Boil the unpeeled potatoesin salted water. When they are tender (about 20 minutes), remove from the heat, put under cold running water, and remove the skins. Drain and slice into 1/4-inch pieces. Preheat the oven to 350 deg.F. Grease a 1 1/2-quart casserole with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Arrange a layer of half the potatoes, then half the cod, then half the onions. Sprinkle with a little pepper and repeat the layering. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top layer. Bake for 15 minutes, or until heated through and lightly browned. Before serving, garnish the top with olives and eggs; sprinkle with parsley. Serve with the wine vinegar and oil in cruets and black pepper in a small dish.