Salt cod salad (Bacalhoada)

Bacalhoada is cherished throughout the country and is usually prepared for special occasions, especially at Easter time when the large Catholic population replace the traditional meat in their diet with fish.

Ingredients (Serves 6)

• 500g dried salt cod
• 8 all-purpose potatoes (e.g. Carisma or Pontiac), cut into quarters
• 1 red onion, sliced into rings
• 1 green capsicum, cut into rings
• 1 red capsicum, cut into rings
• 1 large tomato, cut into 5 mm rounds
• 100g pitted kalamata olives
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, cut into quarters
• 250ml extra-virgin olive oil

Method
Soak the cod in cold water overnight. Drain the cod, reserving the soaking water. Remove all of the bones, cut the flesh into 4cm pieces and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Boil the potatoes in the reserved soaking water for eight to 10 minutes, or until soft, but still firm, then drain.

Arrange the potatoes and cod in a large roasting tin. Spread the onion, capsicums and tomato over the top. Sprinkle with the olives and add the boiled egg quarters. Pour the oil over the top, cover with aluminium foil and bake for 25 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and serve hot.

Image and recipes: Shelley Herpworth and Fernanda de Paula.