Free Cooking Recipes

A traditional Portuguese dish, Bacalhau (bah-kah-loah) makes an unusual, tasty family lunch or dinner dish and may be served with a green salad. The salt cod should be bought the day before you wish to cook it, so that it can be soaked in cold water for 12 hours to remove some of the salt.

4 SERVINGS
2 lb. salt cod
6 fl. oz. [3/4 cup] olive oil
11/2 lb. potatoes, peeled
1 lb. onions, cut in slices and separated into rings
1 lb. tomatoes, coarsley sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1. teaspoon coarsley ground black pepper
10 black olives, stones removed 4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Directions:

1. Put the cod in a medium-sized mixing bowl and cover with cold water. Leave covered for at least 12 hours to soak. Change the water every 3 or 4 hours, or whenever convenient.
2. Drain the cod and rinse it well to wash off the salt. Put the fish in a medium- sized saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer the cod for 15 minutes or until it is cooked.
3. Pour away the water and drain the cod well. Skin and bone the fish. Flake it and set acidic.
4. Preheat the oven to fairly hot 375′F (Gas Mark 5, 190″C).
5. Half fill a large saucepan with salted water and bring it to the boil. Add the potatoes and boil them for 15 to 20, minutes, or until they are just cooked. Drain and cut the potatoes into slices and set aside.
6. In a large frying-pan heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil over moderate heat. When it is hot add the onions and fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until they are soft but not brown. Add the tomatoes, garlic and pepper and cook stirring carefully for 4 minutes. Draw the pan off the heat.
7. Arrange the potato slices, the cod, onions and tomatoes in layers in the casserole until it is full. Pour the remaining oil over the top. Put the casserole in the center of the oven and cook for 30 minutes or until all the ingredients arc thoroughly heated and the top is brown.
   Garnish the dish with the black olives, egg slices and chopped parsley. Serve hot.

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