Chef-tested recipe
Lisbon-style salt cod folded with soft onions, crisp matchstick potatoes, creamy eggs, parsley, and black olives
Bacalhau à Brás is a Lisbon classic that brings together shredded salt cod, slowly softened onion, fine fried potatoes, and eggs cooked only until creamy. Parsley and black olives finish the dish with freshness and contrast. The quality depends on three small disciplines: desalting the cod thoroughly, cutting the potatoes into fine even strands, and removing the pan from the heat before the eggs become dry.
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- 6 servings
- Prep Time
- 30 mins
- Cook Time
- 25 mins
- Chilling Time
- 24 hours
- Total Time
- 24 hours 55 mins
- Cuisine
- Portuguese
- Course
- Main dish
- Cooking Method
- Desalting, shallow-frying, sautéing, and soft scrambling
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Best Served With
- Best served with a crisp green salad, roasted peppers, crusty Portuguese bread, and a dry white wine.
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Equipment
- Large frying panpaid link
- Deep saucepanpaid link
- Kitchen thermometerpaid link
- Wire skimmerpaid link
- Mixing bowlpaid link
- Chef’s knifepaid link
- Cutting boardpaid link
- Digital kitchen scalepaid link
Ingredients
For the salt cod
- Dried salted codpaid link: 600 g
- Cold water, for soaking: 4 litres
For the potatoes
- Floury potatoes, peeledpaid link: 800 g
- Neutral oil, for frying: 750 ml Shop paid link
- Fine sea saltpaid link: 2 g
For the egg mixture
- Large eggs, without shells: 450 g
- Freshly ground black pepper: 3 g
For the onion and cod
- Extra-virgin olive oilpaid link: 60 ml
- Yellow onions, thinly sliced: 350 g
- Garlic, finely sliced: 20 g
- Bay leaves: 2
- Flat-leaf parsley, chopped: 25 g
- Portuguese black olives: 100 g
Preparation Overview
Soak the salt cod under refrigeration for about 24 hours, changing the water four times; very thick pieces may need up to 36 hours. Drain, remove skin and bones, and pull the flesh into flakes. Cut the potatoes into matchsticks about 2 mm thick, rinse briefly, and dry completely before frying. Beat the eggs only until combined.
Method
Place the desalted cod in a saucepan, cover with fresh cold water, and bring just to a simmer.
Remove from the heat, cover for 8 minutes, then drain. When cool enough to handle, remove all skin and bones and shred the flesh.
Heat the frying oil to 175°C. Fry the dry potato matchsticks in small batches for 2 to 3 minutes until pale gold and crisp.
Drain the potatoes on a rack or absorbent paper and season very lightly with salt.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and bay leaves and cook for 10 to 12 minutes until soft and translucent.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the shredded cod and fold through the onions for 3 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves and add about three quarters of the fried potatoes, reserving the rest for texture.
Lower the heat. Pour in the beaten eggs and fold slowly with a spatula until softly set and still glossy.
Remove the pan from the heat immediately. Fold in half the parsley and the reserved potatoes.
Finish with black pepper, the remaining parsley, and black olives, then serve without delay.
Beginner Technique Notes
Taste a small cooked flake of cod after soaking. If it remains aggressively salty, soak it longer in fresh cold water.
Dry the potatoes thoroughly before frying to prevent dangerous splattering and to help them crisp.
Cook the onions patiently without browning; their sweetness should blend into the egg and cod.
Residual heat continues to cook the eggs. Stop while they still look slightly loose and glossy.
Tips and Variations
Ready-made unsalted shoestring potatoes are convenient, but freshly fried potatoes provide better flavour and texture.
For more distinct cod flakes, poach the fish gently rather than boiling it.
Do not add extra salt until the finished mixture has been tasted.
Some cooks add a little extra olive oil just before serving; use a mild, fruity Portuguese oil.
Serving Ideas
- Spoon the bacalhau à Brás onto a warm platter, keeping the surface loose and creamy. Scatter parsley and black olives evenly so every serving receives both.
Storage
This dish is best eaten immediately. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use within 1 day. Reheat gently in a covered pan, knowing the eggs and potatoes will become firmer. Do not freeze.
Nutritional Value
Allergen Notes
Contains fish and eggs. Check the salt cod carefully for bones. Commercial shoestring potatoes may contain gluten or other allergens, so verify the label when substituting.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should salt cod soak?
Most medium pieces need about 24 hours under refrigeration with several water changes; thick loins may need 36 to 48 hours.
Can I use fresh cod?
Fresh cod lacks the cured flavour that defines bacalhau à Brás. It can make a pleasant dish, but it is not the same preparation.
Why are the eggs dry?
They stayed over the heat too long. Remove the pan when the eggs are glossy and slightly underdone.
What does à Brás mean?
The dish is associated with a Lisbon tavern keeper named Brás, although the precise origin story is not fully documented.
