Olive Oil Poached Bacalhau with Golden Potatoes

This Bacalhau or Bacalao is a traditional Portuguese/Spanish meal with salt cod, baked potatoes, and spring onion to serve as a wholesome meal. This recipe is easy to make with maximum preparation time.

Recipe for Bacalhau, Sauteed Yukon Gold Potatoes, and Spring Onion 

Let’s observe how you can prepare this recipe for four people with a portion of atleast 900 calories in each serving.

1- Recipie for Making Bacalhau

Here is the detailed direction for making Bacalhau:

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound kosher salt
• 1 1/2 pound 1 1/2-inch-thick whole cod fillet
• 1/2 pound coarse sea salt

Directions

Let’s follow these steps:

Step 1.

Mix Kosher with sea salt into a deep container (atleast 6 inches deep) and keep it for dour days. Marinate the cod with salt, marinate the sides and add an almost 1/2 inch layer of salt to the bottom. Cover the cod with a plastic bag and refrigerate for nearly 48 hours.

Step 2.

Now, remove the plastic bag and rinse the salt on the cod and the container with cold running water. Add cold water to the box and refrigerate for 48 hours. Keep on changing the water after every 10-12 hours. 

Step 3.

Cut the cod into four equal portions before cooking and drain well. 

2- Recipe for Sauteed Yukon Gold Potatoes 

Here is the process of making Gold potatoes with a refined quality olive oil like the one we get from Verde Valley Olive oil. 

Ingredients 

• 16 small Yukon Gold potatoes
• 7 sprigs thyme
• 2 half-cut cloves of garlic
• Kosher salt to taste
• Roasted and freshly ground white pepper, season to taste
• Extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
• 4 sprigs rosemary, halved into 2-inch pieces
• 3 fresh California bay leaves, finely torn

Directions

Step 1.

Place cooked potatoes in a single layer in a suitable saucepan size. Now pour enough good quality olive oil to cover the potatoes. Add halved garlic, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, and 2 teaspoons of salt.

Step 2.

Turn the burner on medium flame and bring the saucepan to simmer until the potatoes become soft enough for mashing. It takes almost 30 minutes. 

Along that, keep adjusting the flame to keep the simmering bubbles on the oil surface. When cooked thoroughly, bring the potatoes out of the pan and let them cool down.

Step 3.

While reserving the oil, use the leftover oil and discard the herbs or garlic cloves. Add more oil and place 4 cod fillets onto the pan with skin facing below. 

Step 4.

Set the pan on low-medium heat and use a frying thermometer to check if the temperature reaches 130 degrees. After almost 15 minutes, check if the fish is thoroughly cooked and about to flake aside. In between, adjust the temperature.

Step 5.

Mash the potatoes in a dish to form a solid layer. Add a teaspoon of olive oil to a large pan, smartly place the potatoes layer onto the pan, and let it get golden from both sides after flipping.

Recipe for the Spring Onions

Here is the recipe for spring onions:

Ingredients

• 5 spring onions, thin outer purple layers removed
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
• 1 lemon wedge
• 2 tablespoons parsley leaves, torn
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon thyme leaves
• 5 pitted Kalamata olives, quartered lengthwise
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
• Fleur de sel, to taste
• Fig vinegar, to taste

Directions

Let’s follow the directions!

Step 1.

Cut spring onions in quarters lengthwise and crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices. 

Step 2.

Add 1 teaspoon of butter and olive oil into a heated pan.

Step 3.

Pour spring onions and let them get mildly translucent while not losing their crunch. Add seasoning of thyme, parsley, olives, salt, lemon juice, paprika, etc.,

Final Dishing Out

Arrange the cod and gold potatoes on the serving plates and sprinkle the onion mixture on top of the cod. You can sprinkle the remaining olive oil over the surface. Enjoy your meal with a cocktail made with olive oil, and remember to purchase it from a good company like Verde Valley Olive Oil.