Serves: 4 | Time: 40 min plus 24–48 hours desalting
Bacalhoada à Brasileira takes the Portuguese salt cod tradition and gives it a Brazilian spin with achiote, coconut milk, and fresh herbs. It’s a colorful, warming stew that works well with plain white rice or on its own.
Ingredients:
- 1½ lbs (675 g) salt cod, previously desalted
- 2–3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, roughly diced
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1½ tsp achiote (annatto) powder, to taste
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper, to taste
- 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) dice
- 1 medium yellow or orange bell pepper, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) dice
- 1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) dice
- 2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 6 basil leaves, left whole
- 2 cups (480 ml) cod cooking water
- 1 cup (240 ml) coconut milk
- ½ cup (20 g) finely chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
- ½ cup (30 g) finely sliced scallions
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preparation:
Poach the cod. Drain the salt cod from its soaking water. Cut into pieces about 2 inches (5 cm) across. Place in a saucepan large enough to hold all the pieces comfortably. Cover with fresh water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup (240 ml) of the cooking water. Transfer the cod to a plate and keep warm.
Build the base. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 4–5 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the achiote powder and cayenne, cook for 1 minute, then taste and adjust both spices to your liking. Add the bell peppers and cook for about 3 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the basil leaves and tomato chunks, and continue cooking until the tomatoes soften and break down.
Finish the stew. Add the cod pieces and the reserved cooking water. Bring to a brisk boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Give it a stir, then pour in the coconut milk. Simmer until the cod flakes easily but does not fall apart completely, reducing the sauce to your liking. Stir in the cilantro or parsley and the scallions. Cover and let rest for a few minutes for the flavors to come together. Taste for salt and pepper.
Serve. On its own or with white rice.
Notes:
About bacalhau. Bacalhau is cod (or similar fish) preserved by dry-salting — one of the oldest and most sustainable methods of fish preservation. Though most closely associated with Portuguese cuisine, the same tradition appears in Spain (bacalao), southern France (morue salée), and Italy (baccalà / stoccafisso).
Desalting. Desalting is essential. Soaking time depends on the thickness of the cut and how dry it is — a minimum of 24 hours, ideally 48, changing the water 2–3 times a day. Portuguese supermarkets often sell bacalhau demolhado (already soaked and desalted), but do a test run first: simmer a small piece for 10 minutes and taste once cool. It should be mildly saline. Bear in mind that pan-frying or roasting concentrates any residual salt.
Achiote: A powder or paste made from annatto seeds. It has a slightly peppery taste giving the dish a yellow/orange color. It is widely used in Latin America and available in the US from Amazon or Latin American specialty stores. In Brazil Achiote is called Urucum.
