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Bacalhau com natas
Salt cod baked with cream
Bacalhau com natas: salt cod baked with potatoes and cream
Bacalhau com natas is the comfort bake that turns up at Portuguese Christmas gatherings, Sunday lunches and every café menu from Porto to Faro. Flaked salt cod, soft onion and cubes of fried potato are folded into a light béchamel enriched with cream, then baked until bubbling and golden on top. It is rich, gently salty and easy to make ahead for a crowd. Serve with a crisp green salad and some bread. Chef's tip: fry the potato cubes only until pale gold; they finish cooking in the oven, and crisp ones turn soggy anyway.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the cod and potatoes
- 1 ⅛ lb salt cod (bacalhau)soaked as in step 1
- 1 ¾ lb potatoespeeled, cut into 1.5 cm cubes
- 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onionsthinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlicchopped
For the sauce
- 1 ⅜ oz butter
- 1 ⅜ oz plain flour
- 2 cups milk
- ¾ cup single cream
- 1 pinch grated nutmeg
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 1 ⅜ oz grated cheese (such as mild cheddar) (optional)
- 1 tbsp parsley (optional)chopped
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Put 1 ⅛ lb salt cod (bacalhau) skin side up in a large bowl of cold water, cover and keep it in the fridge for 24–48 hours, pouring off the water and adding fresh 3–4 times a day (thicker loins need the full 48 hours). Taste a flake from the thickest part: it should be pleasantly seasoned, not harsh. Never soak salt cod on the counter.
5 minStep 2: Simmer the soaked cod in fresh water for 5 minutes until opaque and flaking. Drain, remove skin and bones and break into flakes.
10 minStep 3: Heat 2 cups vegetable oil for frying in a deep pan to 350°F and fry 1 ¾ lb potatoes in batches for 5–6 minutes until pale gold. Drain on kitchen paper.
15 minStep 5: For the sauce melt 1 ⅜ oz butter, stir in 1 ⅜ oz plain flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in 2 cups milk a little at a time and simmer for 4 minutes until smooth and thick. Stir in ¾ cup single cream, 1 pinch grated nutmeg and ¼ tsp white pepper. Taste before salting; the cod brings its own salt.
7 minStep 6: Fold the potatoes and cod mixture into two-thirds of the sauce and spread in a baking dish of about 30 × 20 cm. Pour over the rest of the sauce and scatter with 1 ⅜ oz grated cheese (such as mild cheddar). A common mistake is skipping the taste test: under-soaked cod can make the whole dish too salty.
4 minStep 7: Bake for 25–30 minutes until bubbling at the edges and golden on top, and piping hot (167°F) in the centre. Rest for 10 minutes so it sets a little, then scatter with 1 tbsp parsley and serve. To make ahead, assemble, cool, refrigerate for up to a day and bake for 40 minutes.
35 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bacalhau com natas take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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