Bacalhau is Portuguese for Cod. For centuries the Portuguese have been expert fishermen and along with many varieties of ocean fish, shellfish, octopus and squid, Cod is a popular catch. You will find Cod on the menu of every household and is a permanent fixture on the menus of the simplest to the most elegant of dining places. It is a solid, white fish when cooked delicately flavored and adaptable to stewing, boiling, broiling, grilling and frying. You will even find it in soups and makes an excellent fish addition to the bread soup I mentioned in my last article. When exported it can be found fresh or more frequently dried and salted. There is a definite difference in flavor between the two, likely due to the drying process and the sea salt used. The flavor is more distinct in the dried version but not strong. You must be willing to spend sometime desalting this cod as it is too high in sodium when dried to be used in cooking. If you have time on a weekend, begin in the morning by placing it in a bowl of cold water and change the water every hour or so until it is to be used. It should take almost the day and should be ready by supper time. You can also leave it overnight and then change the water every hour or so until ready to use. Otherwise use the fresh variety if you don't have time or you need it right away. My next two articles will include two recipes each on cod; two from Portugal and two from Brazil.
In Brazil, there are many local varieties of fish more readily available, but cod is still considered a popular fish on the dining table although it must imported. It is usually cooked in coconut milk or wine. I will include recipes that call for these ingredients. If you have not yet tried cod, give it a shot. You'll like it I'm sure.
Go To Page: 1
