Portuguese Codfish with Cream or Bacalhau com Natas is an absolute classic, it combines codfish, potatoes, onions, olives, and a delicious creamy sauce! It’s the gateway dish to many of those visiting the country, utterly delicious, and fairly easy to prepare at home!
Jump to RecipePortuguese Cod with Cream Recipe
If you cooked with salt cod before, you already know the most important part of the recipe is prepping the fish. And by that, I mean soaking the fish to remove the excessive salt it absorbed in the curing process. The soaking part can vary from a couple of hours to even days depending on the cut you use. For Bacalhau com Natas I prefer using cod loins that I usually soak in the fridge for 72 hours changing the water every 8 hours.
Once your fish is prepped, the next step is to poach the pieces of loin for about 5 minutes in boiling water or milk infused with a bay leaf. This step will remove any left-over salt and pre-cook the fish. If you opt for milk, you can later use it to make the ‘bechamel’ sauce. Once cooked, allow the fish to cool off before you remove the bones and skin and tear it into large chunks.
Now it’s time to prep the remaining ingredients. Start by peeling and dicing your potatoes. Lightly fry the potatoes cube using the method of your preference. Some prefer deep frying it, I favour using the air fryer. You can also shallow fry it with some olive oil. The goal is to get a light golden crispy outside.
While the potatoes cook, thinly slice your onions, then place a deep skillet (preferably one that is suitable for the oven) over low to medium heat. Once the skillet is hot enough, add the olive oil and your whole garlic cloves. Fry for about 2 minutes, then add in the sliced onions and bay leaf. Sauté for another 2 to three minutes or until the onion is softer and translucent. Remove the whole garlic cloves.
Add in the codfish, cook for another 3 minutes, stirring gently. Turn off the heat, set aside. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C.
Once the potatoes are done, transfer them to a plate with absorbent paper, put aside.
To prepare the bechamel, place a small pan over low to medium heat, add in the butter. Once it’s completely melted and bubbly, add the flour, cook until the flour is lightly golden. Pour in the milk little by little, stirring with a whisk constantly until it thickens. Remove from the heat, add in the cream, season with nutmeg, black pepper and salt.
Add the potatoes to the fish skillet, stir to combine, then pour the creamy sauce on top. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top, decorate with the olives. Bake in the oven until golden.
How to Make an Authentic Bacalhau com Natas
Have you tried this recipe? Please let me know in the comments!