Bacalhau com Broa

Flaky cod petals nestled under a garlic-infused, crispy cornbread crust. Olive oil binds the fish with caramelized onions, creating a sharp contrast between tender and crunchy textures.

• Prep time: 40 min
• Cook time: 45 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 1521
• Protein: 139 g
• Carbs: 86 g
• Fat: 64 g

Ingredients

• 800 g Salted cod ( desalted and flaked )
• 3 piece Onion ( thinly sliced )
• 4 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 200 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 600 g Potato ( sliced into rounds )
• 50 g Black olive optional ( for garnish )
• 1 piece Parsley ( chopped )
• 400 g Broa de Milho (Portuguese cornbread) ( crumbled )

Instructions

1. Preparing the cod

   Place the desalted cod in a pot of cold water. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat. Let poach for 10 minutes. Drain, remove skin and bones, then flake the flesh into large petals.

2. Caramelizing the onions

   Slice the onions and mince half the garlic. In a skillet, heat 100ml of olive oil. Sweat the onions and garlic over low heat until translucent and soft. They should not brown.

3. Preparing the potatoes

   Slice the potatoes into 5mm rounds. Lightly brown them in a pan with olive oil. They should remain firm in the center as they will finish cooking in the oven.

4. Making the Broa crust

   Finely crumble the Broa (cornbread) into a bowl. Add the remaining minced garlic, chopped parsley, and 50ml of olive oil. Mix by hand until the bread is well coated with oil.

5. Assembly and baking

   In a baking dish, layer the potatoes, then the onions, and finally the cod. Cover generously with the bread mixture. Bake at 200°C for 20 minutes until the crust is golden brown and crispy.

Chef's tips

• Don't skimp on the olive oil; it's what keeps the cod from drying out.
• The Broa should be slightly stale to crumble properly.
• If the crust browns too quickly, cover it with parchment paper.

Storage

Keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven to maintain the crust's crispiness.