Paloma Faith's bacalhau à Brás | Jamie Oliver recipes (2024)

FAQs

How many bacalhau dishes are there? ›

Cuisine. There are numerous bacalhau recipe variations, depending on region and tradition. In Portugal, it is said there are more than 365 ways to cook bacalhau, one for every day of the year; others say there are 1,001 ways. Whatever the exact number, bacalhau is a ubiquitous ingredient in Portuguese cuisine.

(Portuguese Salted Cod) Bacalhau (salted codfish) is the most popular base commodity in Portuguese cooking. Traditionally there are more than 365 different dishes, one for each day of the year. Bacalhau is so ingrained in the Portuguese national psyche that the dish is served as the main celebration meal at Christmas.

Bacalhau is Portuguese for dry, salted cod, and is referred to as Bacalao in Spain or Bacala in Italy. Today we take a look at it from a Portuguese perspective. Historically, Bacalhau was the staple for these three predominately Catholic countries during Lent, when meat was considered a forbidden food.

Bacalhau is codfish that has been doused in vast quantities of salt and dried under the Mediterranean's hot sun. This ancient method of preservation means the cod can be stored indefinitely at ambient temperatures, with no bacterial or mould able to grow on the highly saline dried codfish.

Salt cod, also known as bacalao, is a dried and salted codfish dish that is enjoyed all over the world but is especially well-liked in Spain, Portugal, and Italy. Its long history as a preserved meal dates all the way back to the Roman Empire.

Bacalao (salted, dried codfish) stars in this Spanish-style fish stew from the Basque region of Spain. This traditional dish is popular in all Spanish-speaking countries; in fact, each country's version is slightly different. In Mexico, it's usually made for Christmas, New Year's Eve, and Lent.

Baccalà mantecato was created during the 18th century in Venice. However, the use of salt cod to Venetian cuisine was first introduced in the 15th century by Pietro Querini was shipwrecked on the Norwegian island of Røst. Querini and his crew learned how to salt cod from local fisherman.

Brazilians eat bacalhau all year long, but it is most commonly prepared during the week of Easter, namely on Good Friday. If you are in search of a variation of this recipe but still want the flavor of salted cod, salt cod in cream is a similar dish that is also common during this time of year.

It was only during the Middle Ages that they began preserving it with salt, which they bought from Portugal and paid for with cod. An advantageous exchange for the Portuguese, which had plenty of salt to sell. The consumption of salted cod quickly spread throughout Portugal due to its low cost and easy transportation.

Bacalhau

The national dish of Portugal, bacalhau is dried and salted codfish, which is usually soaked in milk or water before cooking. The Portuguese have been eating bacalhau since the 16th century when their fishing boats brought it back from Newfoundland.

Does Portugal eat a lot of seafood? ›

Fish and seafood

The country has Europe's highest fish consumption per capita, and is among the top four in the world for this indicator. Fish is served grilled, boiled (including poached and simmered), fried or deep-fried, stewed known as caldeirada (often in clay pot cooking), roasted, or even steamed.

In Italy, the term baccalà usually refers to salt cod, however in Venice it's used to mean Norwegian stockfish.

Eating bacalhau as part of a healthy eating pattern can contribute to a healthier diet. There are lean meats that are low in calories and can be included in a variety of dishes. The drying and salting process of the cod helps to preserve it, making it a convenient and long-lasting protein source.

Saltfish is rich in Vitamin D. This is a key nutrient for better health as it assists the body's regulation of calcium and phosphate levels. These nutrients are necessary to keep the bones, teeth, and muscles healthy.

There are three cod species known, Atlantic, Pacific and Greenland.

The history of Bacalhau can be traced back to the 1400's during Portugal's age of exploration. Since refrigeration hadn't been invented yet, fishermen had to find ways to preserve their catch for prolonged periods of time while out at sea.