This video for the recipe of Bacalhau à Brás, (Cod Fish with Potato Sticks) by Michelin Star Chef Jose Avillez  is from Taste Portugal. The recipe for this dish is said to have originated hundreds of years ago in the Estremadura (meaning extremities), the coastline region of central Portugal known for its consistent wind and ocean waves.

This popular Euro windsurf and surf destination has great beaches which has hosted many surf championships including the IFCA wave championships.

It’s interesting to note that last month,  The Guinness World Records confirmed that Garrett McNamara broke the record for the biggest wave ever, a 78-foot wave (23,7 metres) in Nazaré, Portugal by riding the wave in November of 2011. Read the article in Surfer Today.

Estremadura, Nazaré historical coastal province of central Portugal that contains Lisbon and the Tagus River estuary.

The landforms of Estremadura are geologically younger than other parts of the Iberian Peninsula, containing sandstone, limestone, and volcanic rock instead of granite and schist. The peninsulas of Lisbon and Setúbal are divided by the lower Tagus River valley. Land use north of the Tagus is diverse. Vineyards, olive groves, and cereal plots are found on the hilly slopes, and the Cartaxo and Torres areas are known for their wines. South of the Tagus the landscape is less tamed; much is still unproductive or in extensive estates of cork oak forest. Along the Tagus valley, corn (maize), grapes, rice, and wheat are cultivated, and some of Portugal’s finest horses and fighting bulls—both used in Portuguese bullfights—are raised there. A bullfighting museum is near Sintra.

Known as the Portuguese Riviera, the coastal region west of the city of Lisbon has important resort centres, including Estoril, Cascais, and Sintra. Apart from Lisbon, other chief towns include Setúbal, the main sardine port, with canneries; Barreiro and Almada, suburbs of Lisbon; and the fishing towns of Peniche and Nazaré.

“Estremadura”. Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 21 May. 2012

Now that I shared a little bit of Portugal’s geography with you let’s get back to the recipe for this centuries old, yet one of Portugal’s most popular dishes!

Bacalhau à Brás

Ingredients

4 oz of hydrated salt cod finely shredded

1 small potato cut into small match stick size

1 egg + 2 yolks

1/4 cup thinly sliced onion

1 clove garlic

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp chopped parsley

5 olives

Salt & Pepper to taste

2 tbsp olive oil

Preparation:

Fry the potato sticks in very hot oil and set aside. Saute onions Garlic and Bay leaf until translucent (about 2 minutes) in olive oil. Stir the cod fish into the onions and cook for about 1 minute. Remove Bay Leaf. Add eggs on very low heat until cooked leaving a creamy texture. Stir in the potato sticks and parsley.  Reserve a few sticks to use as garnish.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with olives and parsley. Enjoy!