📝 About This Recipe
Transport your kitchen to the sun-drenched plains of Alentejo with this rustic, soul-warming masterpiece of Portuguese comfort food. This dish celebrates the 'marriage of necessity' between salt-cured cod and day-old sourdough bread, elevated by the aromatic punch of fresh cilantro and golden garlic. It is a texture-rich experience where the flakey, savory fish melds into a fragrant, olive oil-soaked bread base, embodying the true heart of rural Portuguese gastronomy.
🥗 Ingredients
The Star Ingredient
- 600 grams Salted Cod (Bacalhau) (thick loins, soaked and desalted for 48 hours)
- 2 Bay Leaves (dried)
- 5 Black Peppercorns (whole)
The Bread Base (Açorda Style)
- 400 grams Alentejo Bread or Sourdough (stale, 2-3 days old, cut into 1-inch cubes)
- 150 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil (high quality, Portuguese preferred)
- 6 Garlic Cloves (thinly sliced)
- 1 large bunch Fresh Cilantro (stems and leaves separated and finely chopped)
The Aromatics and Vegetables
- 2 medium Yellow Onion (thinly sliced into half-moons)
- 1 medium Red Bell Pepper (sliced into thin strips)
- 500 grams Potatoes (peeled and cut into small cubes)
- 100 ml Dry White Wine (like a Vinho Verde or Alentejo white)
For Garnish and Seasoning
- 1/2 cup Black Olives (small Portuguese olives with pits)
- 2 Hard-boiled Eggs (sliced into rounds)
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika (sweet pimentão)
- to taste Salt and Pepper (be careful with salt as cod is already salty)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Place the pre-soaked cod loins in a large pot. Cover with cold water and add the bay leaves and peppercorns. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
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2
Once simmering, cook the cod for about 8-10 minutes until it flakes easily. Do not overcook. Remove the cod with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reserve 2 cups of the cooking water.
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3
While the cod cools slightly, remove the skin and bones. Break the fish into large, succulent flakes. Set aside.
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4
In a separate pan, fry the potato cubes in a bit of olive oil or bake them at 200°C (400°F) until golden and crispy. Set aside on paper towels.
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5
In a large heavy-bottomed skillet or clay pot (cataplana/caçarola), heat half of the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onions and red peppers.
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6
Sauté the onions and peppers until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add half of the sliced garlic and the smoked paprika, stirring for 1 minute until fragrant.
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7
Deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping up any browned bits. Let the alcohol evaporate for 2 minutes.
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8
Add the flaked cod to the onion mixture. Toss gently to combine and heat through for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside in a warm bowl.
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9
In the same pan (no need to wash), add the remaining olive oil and the rest of the garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds, then add the bread cubes.
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10
Toss the bread to coat in the garlic oil. Gradually add the reserved cod cooking water, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until the bread is moist but still holds some shape (it should be a thick, porridge-like consistency).
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11
Fold in the chopped cilantro stems and half of the chopped leaves into the bread mixture. Season with black pepper.
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12
Gently fold the cod and onion mixture and the fried potatoes back into the bread base. Stir very lightly just to distribute the ingredients.
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13
Transfer the mixture to a large serving platter or individual clay bowls.
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14
Garnish with the sliced hard-boiled eggs, black olives, and the remaining fresh cilantro leaves. Drizzle with a final thread of raw olive oil.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always use stale bread; fresh bread will turn into a gummy paste rather than a structured 'açorda'. Do not skip the soaking process—even 'pre-soaked' supermarket cod often needs an extra 12 hours to reach the perfect salinity. Use the best quality olive oil you can find, as it acts as a primary flavoring agent in Alentejo cooking. If you prefer a crispier finish, you can place the assembled dish under a broiler for 3-5 minutes before garnishing. Be cautious with salt; the cod and the reserved cooking water often provide enough sodium for the entire dish.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Pair with a crisp, chilled White Wine from the Alentejo region (look for Antão Vaz grapes). Serve with a side of simple steamed green beans or a crisp green salad to cut through the richness. A glass of dry sparkling wine (Espumante) also works beautifully to cleanse the palate between bites. For a truly authentic finish, serve with a small bowl of extra olives and crusty bread on the side.