Bacalhoada – Salt Cod Stew

Bacalhau is a Portuguese word for cod, and when it comes to food and cooking, bacalhau refers to dried and salted cod.  Bacalhoada is a traditional salted cod stew with potatoes, onions, tomatoes, olives, garlic, and olive oil.  In Portugal and some parts of Brazil, you will often find boiled eggs added as well.  

You need to have a good large cooking pot for this recipe.  I’m using my 5.5 quart Le Creuset dutch oven/pot to cook.  It’s one of my favorite cooking pots.

In Brazil, where I’m from, you will often find Bacalhoada made on religious holidays such as Good Friday when families traditionally don’t eat meat.  My mother and grandmother would cook a big pot for the entire family.  This meal was always one of my family’s favorites, and every time I cook it, the taste brings back wonderful family memories.  In fact, when most of my aunts and uncles joined us for bacalhoada, we would often need to double the recipe.

The main ingredient and staring food in this recipe is of course the salted cod fish, Bacalhau.  Finding salted cod is not as easy as other popular fish like salmon or trout, but if you live in or near a city with a sea food market or Italian deli, you should be able to find salted cod.  Ask at the market or do a quick web search.

Salted cod is great because it can be stored for a long period of time.  I store my bacalhau in the freezer until I’m ready to use it.  Salting the fish, dries it out, so it needs to be rehydrated before cooking. 

It is also very important to get rid of as much salt as possible before cooking.  You will need to soak the salted cod for at least 24 hours, changing the water every 5 or 6 hours.  If you skip or shorten this step, your bacalhoada will be extremely salty.  Even after 24 hours, my fish is often still a bit too salty for my taste, and I may do another water change.

Once the fish is properly hydrated and de-salted, it’s time to cut it up.  Cut the fish into 2 inch chunks and set aside.   Prepare the other ingredients, then the cooking begins.

Add extra virgin olive oil to your pot along with the garlic and some onions. The ingredients are added to the pot in layers.  Layer the onions, bay leaves, salted cod, potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, and olives.  

Pour the coconut milk on top of it all, and add some chives and parsley.  You’re now ready to cover and cook.

You are ready to cover and cook for about 35 minutes or until the potatoes are fully cooked.  Test your potatoes with a fork.  It the potatoes are soft, then turn off the stove.  Prepare rice to accompany the bacalhoada.

I like to use a ladle to cover a plate of rice with some broth and chunks of cod, potatoes, and vegetables.  It can also be served without rice in a bowl.  Enjoy!

Fish is one of my families favorite specialty meals.  If you love fish, try one of my other fish recipes.

Yield: 10

Bacalhoada - Salt Cod Stew

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Additional Time: 1 day

Total Time: 1 day 1 hour 15 minutes

Try this traditional salt cod stew made from dried and salted cod fish. Variations of this stew are commonly found in Brazil and Portugal.

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Ingredients

• 3 pounds salted cod
• 2 pounds golden potatoes, quartered
• 3 large tomatoes, peeled and sliced
• 1/4 cup pitted green olives
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced
• 2 red bell peppers, fire roasted and chopped
• 13.5 ounces coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons chives, thinly diced
• 2 tablespoons parsley
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic

Instructions

1. Wash the salt cod to remove as much salt as possible, then soak the cod in a large bowl of water for 24 hours to hydrate and remove more salt. Change the water every 6 to 8 hours. Rinse one more time.
2. Cut the cod into 2 inch pieces. Set aside.
3. In a large pot, heat 1/4 cup olive oil on high. Add the garlic and 1/2 of the sliced onions.
4. Turn off the heat. Add the bay leaves, a layer bacalhau, and a layer of quartered potatoes. Next, add the remaining onions, the bell pepper, the tomatoes, and the olives. Spread half the chives and parsley on top, and add the coconut milk.
5. Cover and cook on medium-high until boiling. Lower the temperature to medium-low and crack the lid. Cook for 35 minutes until the potatoes and cod are soft.
6. Serve over rice. Garnish with the remaining chive and parsley. Enjoy

Notes

Some recipes call for adding 4 boiled eggs (optional).

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 636Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 207mgSodium: 9669mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 90g

This is a high sodium dish. However, the sodium level varies depending on how long the fish is pre-soaked, and how often the water is changed. For a lower amount of sodium, soak the fish longer, and change the water more frequently.