The primary factor to bear in mind when you are making Bacalhau à Brás at house is that you want to begin soaking the salt cod no less than 36 hours prematurely. If you do and also you’re able to make the dish, step one is to slice the potatoes.
We slice our potatoes into matchsticks the use of a pointy chef’s knife. We favor this system for this recipe, versus the use of a mandoline or grater, for a pair causes. First, we adore the rusticity present in quite asymmetric potatoes. 2nd, mandolines are unhealthy. If, like us, you don’t use a mandoline regularly, it’s now not well worth the possibility of damage.
Peel the potatoes ahead of cutting them into matchsticks. As soon as peeled, lower the bottoms off in order that the potatoes lie flat after which thinly slice the potatoes horizontally. Position the slices into small stacks and julienne them into matchsticks.
You’ll optionally soak the matchsticks to take away extra starch. This step might save you the potatoes from sticking however it’s now not important. If you happen to do that further step, make sure you dry the matchsticks ahead of frying them.
As soon as the potatoes are sliced into matchsticks, whether or not you soak them or now not, it’s time to fry them.
Frying the Potatoes
Whilst housewives needed to fry their potatoes again within the day, trendy chefs have an alternative choice – the use of an air fryer. Each choices paintings smartly on this recipe.
Choice 1 – Air Frying Means
Pattern fans can use an air fryer to fry their potatoes. We have been to begin with sceptical about this system however then we attempted it with our COSORI air fryer and it labored simply advantageous. If you select this system, you’ll need to do the next:
Get ready the potatoes through soaking them in water and dry them in a salad spinner or ring them out with a towel. Subsequent, totally combine the matchsticks with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and air fry them for approximately 15 to twenty mins at 400°f / 200°c, stirring and turning them midway via till they’re quite brown at the edges. Take away the fryer drawer, give the potatoes a shake and set the potatoes apart both within the air fryer basket or on a paper towel coated plate.
Choice 2 – Deep Frying Means
Conventional chefs will need to fry their potatoes the old-fashioned means with a skillet. If you happen to go for this attempted and true means, a 10-inch / 26cm forged iron skillet is the most efficient vessel to make use of.
Warmth the skillet on a top fireplace to 375°f / 190°c the use of a probe or sweet thermometer to measure the warmth. If you achieve the required temperature, gently drop the sliced potatoes into the oil and cook dinner for approximately 5 to ten mins till the perimeters of the matchsticks are simply brown. Stay a diligent eye at the spuds – overbrown potatoes style sour. As soon as the potatoes are the correct colour of brown, drain them on a paper towel or cooling rack and set them apart.
Professional Tip
Chop the salt cod into advantageous items whilst the poratoes are frying irrespective of your preferred means.
Sautéing and Combining the Substances
If you fry the potatoes, it’s time to sauté.
Get started through sauteing the onions in a 12-inch stainless-steel fry pan till they’re cushy. Upload a small quantity of salt to the onions after which the garlic. Upload the bacalhau and bay leaves. Combine totally and cook dinner till the cod and onions are heated via. After that, upload the fried matchstick potatoes.
Prepare dinner till the potatoes are now not stiff and the mix is definitely included – aout 3 to five mins. Stir regularly
Subsequent up – it’s time so as to add the eggs.
With this dish, there’s at all times the danger that the eggs will damage and scramble however don’t panic. As an alternative, stay the warmth on low and proceed stirring the mix for approximately a minute. You will have to be advantageous.
When the eggs are included, take away the mix from the warmth and stay stirring. Plate the Bacalhau à Brás and most sensible each and every serving with an olive of your selection – black, inexperienced and even purple.
Whilst we love to make use of kalamata olives, many Portuguese other people favor darkish black olives immediately from the can since that’s how they ate Bacalhau à Brás once they have been younger. No longer having grown up in Portugal, we’re now not restricted through halcyon reminiscences. Canned black olives don’t style just right to us.
You’ll even get fancy, as we find irresistible to do, through molding your Bacalhau à Brás with a spherical ring mould. If you happen to do, you should definitely fill the mildew the entire means ahead of you slide it off differently your completed dish will glance sloppy.
Bom apetite!!
