A recipe for bacalao, a traditional dish from the Spanish kitchen. Here in Denmark we don’t know much about bacalao, or klipfisk (dried salt cod) in general, but in Spain salt cod is used a great deal. In fact, bacalao means “salt cod” – the same name as the dish itself.
Klipfisk is really just dried, salted cod – the way fish was preserved in the old days. The drying used to take place on the rocks (klipper in Danish), hence the name – today, though, the drying has moved indoors.
Bacalao can be made in many ways, and there is in fact a Nordic version too.
I have made my bacalao with the flavours I prefer. Is it completely off the mark? I don’t think so, but I don’t think it is entirely traditional either.
My bacalao is made with a tomato-based sauce seasoned with a little oregano and paprika, plenty of garlic and red pepper, chopped tomatoes, olives and stock. I cook the potatoes in the sauce, and when they are nearly tender, the salt cod goes in and finishes cooking under a lid for about 8 minutes.
The dish is well spiced and savoury, rich in umami, and simply tastes wonderful. It brings to mind a sunny day in Spain – and who doesn’t like that?
Since salt cod is quite salty in itself even after soaking, and the olives add salt too, I recommend waiting to season the sauce until just before the salt cod goes in. Add only a very little – the fish releases salt into the dish as well – and put extra salt on the table instead for those who want it.
Bacalao with fresh cod
Bacalao is traditionally made with klipfisk – a piece of cod that has been dried and salted, and which is soaked for at least 24 hours. Dried salt cod isn’t always easy to get hold of, and it is also very rich in umami – and the texture is a little “chewy”, which naturally isn’t to everyone’s taste.
So you can of course replace the salt cod with perfectly ordinary fresh cod.
Another option I have tried is saltfisk (wet salt cod), that is, salted cod that has not been dried. Wet salt cod also needs soaking, just like dried salt cod, but the texture is very different and the flavour milder.
Wet salt cod would be ideal for a bacalao for those who aren’t keen on the dried kind – and of course ordinary fresh cod is also delicious.
Bacalao
Ingredients
- 600 g dried salt cod (klipfisk)
- 2 shallots, sliced into rings
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 red peppers, cut into strips
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp oregano
- 3 tbsp tomato purée
- 150 ml dry white wine
- 2 tins chopped tomatoes
- 300 ml stock – chicken or vegetable
- 500 g small potatoes, halved
- 100 g green olives, pitted and halved
- Freshly ground pepper and salt, if needed
- Olive oil
- Parsley, to serve
Method
Day 1
- Start by soaking the fish. The salt cod needs to soak for at least 24 hours.Rinse the fish thoroughly, place it in a large pot of cold water and leave it to soak in the fridge for at least 24 hours and up to 48 hours. Change the water 2-3 times a day. I prefer to let it soak for 36 hours or more.The salt cod is very tough before it has been soaked, so once it has soaked for 12 hours, it’s a good idea to cut it into the pieces you will be cooking it in. Cutting it into smaller pieces helps it soak more effectively and ensures the finished dish isn’t too salty. Also remove any bones with tweezers – or leave them in until after cooking, when they will be much easier to remove.
Day 2
- Prepare the ingredients as described in the ingredient list.Feel free to leave the skin on the potatoes, but scrub them thoroughly. You can of course peel them too.
- Heat a large frying pan and fry the shallots in a good glug of olive oil over medium heat until soft and translucent.
- Add the peppers and garlic and cook until the peppers start to smell fragrant – about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle over the spices, season with pepper and stir well to combine.
- Add the tomato purée and let it cook for a minute or so, then pour in the white wine. Let it boil for 3-4 minutes over fairly high heat.
- Add the stock, chopped tomatoes, potatoes and olives, and stir to combine.
- Put a lid on the pan and let the dish simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. The sauce should be bubbling, so turn the heat up a little if needed.Meanwhile, prepare the salt cod.
- Lift the salt cod out of the water and rinse it thoroughly. Remove the skin and pat the pieces thoroughly dry with kitchen paper.If the fish hasn’t yet been cut into smaller pieces, do so now. Aim for at least 8 pieces – so they aren’t too large.
- After 10 minutes, remove the lid and let the dish continue to simmer until the potatoes are almost tender – and the sauce has reduced slightly.At the same time, season the sauce with freshly ground pepper and perhaps a little salt. Remember that the fish is about to be cooked in the sauce, and it will release salt too.
- Arrange the salt cod in the tomato sauce. Press the pieces down only lightly, so the tops remain clear of the sauce.
- Season the top of the fish with pepper, put the lid on the pan and let the fish cook over low heat for about 8 minutes – depending on thickness.Press the salt cod – if it flakes apart, it’s done.
- Serve topped with finely chopped parsley.
Nutrition
Premium
Hej
Bare til info så staves det Bacalhau
Hejsa
På spansk staves det bacalao – i Portugal staver de det som du skriver:)
Så begge dele er faktisk rigtige:)
Dbh Dianna
Hej ser lækkert ud, det må prøves Tak
..der er en bette stavefejl 😉 nederst …………….ligesom klipfisk, men konsistensen er meget “andeles”
Hej Kurt
Tusind tak for din besked, og tak fordi du skriver fejlen – det er rettet 🙂
Håber duk an lide opskriften 🙂
Warm wishes, Dianna
Det ser ud som om du har kopieret teksten og opskriften fra nordfra.com
Hej Carl
Det har jeg bestemt ikke. Men det er mig der har udviklet opskriften til Nordfra – derfor det er den samme 🙂
Dbh Dianna
Tak, for endnu en dejlig opskrift
Hej Anita
Åhhh velbekomme – håber I kan lide den 🙂
Warm wishes, Dianna