Bacalhau à Brás

Editorial content from Empório Portugal. Traditional recipes may vary by region, family and cook.

About the recipe

Born in Lisbon’s urban kitchen culture, Bacalhau à Brás shows how simple ingredients can become a memorable dish.

The right texture is creamy: the eggs coat the salt cod and potatoes without drying out, creating a comforting, aromatic mixture.

Some households use more parsley, others lean into the onion or prefer homemade shoestring potatoes. What matters is the balance of salt cod, eggs and olive oil.

Ingredients

• 500 g desalted, shredded salt cod
• 700 g finely cut shoestring potatoes, fried or baked
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 eggs
• 80 ml olive oil
• Chopped parsley, to taste
• Black olives, to finish
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Method

1. Warm the olive oil in a wide pan and cook the onion slowly until soft and translucent.
2. Add the garlic and shredded salt cod, stirring for a few minutes so the fish takes on the oil and aromatics.
3. Add the shoestring potatoes and fold gently, without breaking them up too much.
4. Beat the eggs with a little pepper and pour over the mixture on low heat.
5. Stir gently until the eggs are creamy and still moist, then take the pan off the heat before they dry out.
6. Finish with parsley and black olives.

Tips from Empório Portugal

• Use well-desalted salt cod; otherwise, excess salt is difficult to correct without diluting the dish or adding more potato.
• Low heat is essential to keep the eggs creamy.
• If using ready-made shoestring potatoes, choose a firm, lightly salted brand.

Possible substitutions in Brazil

• In Brazil, artisanal shoestring potatoes can be replaced with good-quality ready-made shoestring potatoes.
• Portuguese olives can be swapped for mild Brazilian black olives.

Pairing

White Vinho Verde or a young Portuguese white. Content intended for adults 18+. Drink responsibly.