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Bakalar na bijelo
Salt cod with potatoes and garlic
Bakalar na bijelo: Dalmatian Christmas Eve salt cod with potatoes, garlic and olive oil
On Badnjak, Christmas Eve, Croatian families in Dalmatia keep the meal meatless, and bakalar na bijelo ('white salt cod') is the dish that says Christmas. Salt cod is soaked for days, then cooked with potatoes, a lot of garlic, parsley and good olive oil and shaken in the pot until it turns into a creamy, almost spreadable mix. It is served warm with bread and a glass of wine for the adults. Chef's tip: shake the pot rather than stirring it, so the fish breaks into flakes and emulsifies with the oil and potato.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb salt cod (bakalar)soaked (see step 1)
- 1 ¾ lb waxy potatoespeeled and sliced 1 cm thick
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 6 cloves garlicfinely chopped
- 1 bunch flat-leaf parsleychopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 pinch saltonly if needed
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Soak 1 ½ lb salt cod (bakalar) in plenty of cold water in the fridge for 2–3 days, changing the water twice a day, until a flake tastes only lightly salted.
Step 2: Put the cod and 1 bay leaf in a pot of cold water, bring to a simmer and cook gently for 30 minutes, until the flesh flakes. Lift out, keeping 250 ml of the cooking water. Remove skin and bones and flake.
30 minStep 3: Boil 1 ¾ lb waxy potatoes in the remaining cod water until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain.
15 minStep 4: In a wide pot, layer potatoes and cod, scattering each layer with 6 cloves garlic, 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley and 1 tsp black pepper, and pouring over ½ cup extra virgin olive oil. Add the saved cooking water.
Step 5: Cover and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes, shaking the pot hard every few minutes, until the potatoes break up a little and everything turns creamy. A common mistake is using too little oil: it is meant to be generous and silky.
10 minStep 6: Taste and add 1 pinch salt only if needed. Serve warm.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bakalar na bijelo 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.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of waxy potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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