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Bacalhau à minhota
Fried salt cod with onions
Bacalhau à minhota: thick fried salt cod with golden potato rounds and soft garlic onions
Every Minho restaurant has its bacalhau à minhota on Fridays: a thick loin of salt cod, floured and fried in olive oil, served with crisp potato slices and a tangle of onions cooked in the same oil with garlic and paprika. It is plain, generous country food that relies on good fish. Start two days ahead, as the cod must soak in the fridge to lose its salt. A common mistake is skipping the taste test after soaking; fry a flake first, and soak longer if it is still very salty. Chef's tip: taste a flake of the soaked cod before cooking; if it is still too salty, give it another change of water.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 thick salt cod loinsabout 200 g each, dry weight
- 1 ¾ oz plain flourfor coating
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 ¾ lb firm potatoespeeled, sliced 5 mm thick
- 3 onionsthinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlicsliced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp saltfor the potatoes
- 2 tbsp parsley (optional)chopped
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Two days ahead, rinse the 4 thick salt cod loins and put it skin side up in a large bowl of cold water. Keep it covered in the fridge for 36–48 hours, changing the water 3 or 4 times a day.
15 minStep 2: Pat the cod very dry and dust it all over with the 1 ¾ oz plain flour, shaking off the excess.
3 minStep 3: Heat half the 1 cup olive oil in a wide frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the 1 ¾ lb firm potatoes in batches for 8–10 minutes, turning, until golden and tender. Drain, sprinkle with the 1 tsp salt and keep warm.
20 minStep 4: In the same pan, fry the cod for 4–5 minutes per side, until golden outside and the flesh is opaque and separates into large flakes when pressed. Keep warm with the potatoes.
10 minStep 5: Add the remaining 1 cup olive oil, the 3 onions, 4 cloves garlic and 1 bay leaf to the pan and cook over a medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until soft and lightly golden. Stir in the 1 tsp sweet paprika and 1 tbsp white wine vinegar and cook for 30 seconds.
11 minStep 6: Arrange the cod and potatoes on a warm platter, spoon the onions and their oil over the top and scatter with 2 tbsp parsley if you like.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 720 kcal
- Protein
- 45 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
- Fat
- 40 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bacalhau à minhota take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of firm potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
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