Bacalhau à Brás

About This Recipe

Bacalhau à Brás (or Bacalhau à Braz) is one of hundreds of ways the Portuguese prepare bacalhau — salt-dried cod — and consistently tops polls as the nation's favourite. The dish was reputedly invented in Bairro Alto, Lisbon, by a cook known as Brás, who combined the workhorse pantry staple of bacalhau with shoestring potatoes and beaten eggs. The result is a deeply savoury, textured scramble that showcases how the Portuguese have elevated preserved cod into an art form over five centuries of trade. It is beloved for its speed, simplicity, and extraordinary flavour.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 500 gsalt cod (bacalhau)(desalted (see instructions))
• 400 gstraw potatoes (palha)(or thin matchstick fries, store-bought or freshly fried)
• 6 largeeggs(lightly beaten)
• 2 mediumonions(thinly sliced)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 80 mlolive oil
• 1 handfulfresh flat-leaf parsley(chopped)
• 80 gblack olives(pitted, for garnish)
• 0.5 tspwhite pepper
• 2 tbspfresh cream(optional, for extra creaminess)

Instructions

1. 1

   Desalt the bacalhau

   Place salt cod in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Refrigerate for 24–48 hours, changing the water at least four times. The cod is ready when it no longer tastes aggressively salty — a gentle seasoning should remain. Drain, remove skin and bones, and shred the flesh into chunky flakes.

   Thicker pieces of bacalhau need 48 hours; thinner fillets are desalted in 24 hours. Taste a small piece to check.

2. 2

   Soften onions and garlic

   Heat olive oil in a large, wide skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until very soft and translucent but not browned, about 15 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2 more minutes. The onions must be completely soft — they become the sweet backbone of the dish.

3. 3

   Add and warm the bacalhau

   Add the shredded cod to the onion and garlic mixture. Stir gently and cook for 3–4 minutes until the cod is heated through and has absorbed the olive oil and onion flavours.

4. 4

   Incorporate the potatoes

   Add the straw potatoes to the pan and fold them gently through the cod mixture. The potatoes add crunch and body — folding rather than stirring vigorously helps them keep their texture.

5. 5

   Scramble with eggs

   Season the beaten eggs with white pepper (no salt — the cod provides enough). Pour the eggs over the cod-potato mixture. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon over medium-low heat, pulling the eggs through the mixture in large curds. Remove from heat while the eggs are still slightly underdone and creamy — residual heat will finish them.

   Bacalhau à Brás should be loose and creamy, not dry — it is closer to a soft scramble than a frittata.

6. 6

   Garnish and serve

   Scatter parsley and black olives over the top. Serve immediately from the pan, as the dish tightens as it cools. A simple green salad and crusty bread are the ideal accompaniments.

Variations

• •

  Bacalhau com Natas: A baked, creamed version of bacalhau layered with potatoes and béchamel — richer and more like a gratin.

• •

  Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá: Flaked cod with sliced boiled potatoes, onions, and hard-boiled eggs, finished in the oven — the other great classic.

• •

  Modern version: Replace straw potatoes with potato crisps for an even crunchier texture.

Storage

Bacalhau à Brás does not keep well — the straw potatoes go soft quickly. Eat immediately after cooking. Leftovers can be refrigerated for 1 day and reheated gently, accepting a softer texture. The desalted, shredded cod (before cooking) keeps refrigerated for 3 days.

Frequently Asked Questions