Maria's Portuguese Bacalau

Prep time: 1500 min
Cook time: 60 min
Servings: 8
Yield: 8 servings

Description

This is a traditional Portuguese dish that brings back memories of mom. It is not only tasty but it is always a hit at parties. Plan ahead, because the salted cod needs to soak for 24 hours.

Ingredients

2 pounds dried salted cod fish
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
2 cloves garlic, chopped, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
freshly ground pepper to taste
4 Yukon Gold potatoes
3 tablespoons butter
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
10 pitted green olives
10 pitted black olives
4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

Directions

1 Soak dried salted cod in cold water for 24 hours, changing the water several times.
2 Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add soaked cod; boil until flakes easily with a fork, about 5 minutes. Transfer cod to a cutting board; save water for cooking potatoes. Remove cod skin and bones then flake the meat into pieces using a fork; set aside in a large bowl.
3 Whisk olive oil, 1 tablespoon parsley, 1 clove garlic, pepper flakes, and black pepper together in a small bowl; pour over cod and lightly toss to coat.
4 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8x11-inch baking dish.
5 Place potatoes in reserved pot salt cod cooking water; bring to a boil. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain under cool water, peel, and cut into 1/4-inch slices.
6 While potatoes cook, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions; sauté until golden and caramelized. Stir in remaining 1 clove garlic; set aside.
7 Layer 1/2 of the potatoes in the bottom of the prepared baking dish; cover with 1/2 of the cod, then 1/2 of the onions. Repeat layers, ending with onions.
8 Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Garnish with olives and hard-cooked eggs; sprinkle with remaining 7 tablespoons parsley.