An important source of proteins, minerals and good fats, cod steals the show at Easter. Renata Guirau, a nutritionist at Oba Hortifruti, points out that fish adds a lot of nutritional value to meals. She points out that regardless of how it is prepared, it doesn’t lose any of its nutrients. “We can cook it, bake it, grill it, use it as stuffing, shred it and, in all of these preparation techniques, make the most of the nutrients,” she says.
How to desalt
In order to ensure that the dish is perfect, desalting deserves attention. In a container, the fish must be immersed in drinking water and kept in the fridge to avoid the growth of bacteria. Ideally, desalting should last 24 hours, with the water changed every 4 to 6 hours, always keeping it refrigerated. If the pieces are large, it may take longer to desalt sufficiently, according to Renata Guirau.
Invest in the side dish
The nutritionist says that to make a balanced dish with cod, it is important to include sources of carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. “Carbohydrates can come from rice or pasta, but cod goes very well with potatoes and cassava,” she says.
The vitamins and minerals, she advises, come from the vegetables, which can even be prepared alongside the cod. “In baked preparations, the vegetables can also be roasted. Carrots and broccoli cooked with a little butter, salt and sage are excellent accompaniments,” says the professional.
In addition, the combination of good olive oil, black olives, parsley and vegetables in butter helps to make the preparation of cod tastier. The texture of the fish, in turn, will depend on the purpose of the preparation. “When we prepare it roasted, it can be interesting to cover the pan so that the cod doesn’t dry out,” says Renata Guirau.
Recipes with cod
See some recipes in which the cod can be used with the various preparation techniques in both cooler and hotter dishes and snacks!
Cod with spinach
Ingredients
- 500 g desalted cod loin
- Azeite and apple cider vinegar to taste
- 200 g sliced shitake
- 5 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 2 cups spinach leaves
- 4 English potatoes
- 1 onion
Method of preparation
Cut the potatoes and onion into slices. Cover the bottom of a baking dish with the potatoes and then the onion. Place the cod loin next. Drizzle with olive oil and add salt. Place in a preheated medium oven to bake until golden brown and set aside. In a pan, heat a little olive oil over medium heat and brown the garlic. Add the shitake and sauté until golden. Add the spinach, mix and turn off the heat. Adjust the salt. Serve the baked cod with the spinach and mushroom stew while still hot.
Hint: Serve the dish with white sauce.
Escondidinho de bacalhau
Ingredients
- 1 kg of boiled and mashed English potatoes
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 100 g of grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons of grated onion
- 1/2 kg of shredded and desalted cod
- 1 tomato, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1/2 cup chopped black olives
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil
- 4 tablespoons of chopped greensalt to taste
Method of preparation
In a saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat and sauté the onion. Add the potatoes to the sauté and mix. Adjust the salt and set aside. In another pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the cod and sauté for a few minutes. Add the chopped greens, olives and tomatoes and mix. Season with salt and set aside.
Assembly
In a baking dish, place a layer of the cod and cover with a thick layer of the mashed potatoes. Add the grated Parmesan cheese on top. Place in a preheated medium oven to brown for about 20 minutes and serve afterwards.
Option for the lactose intolerant: the butter can be replaced with olive oil and the grated cheese with nutritional yeast.
Bolinho de bacalhau
Ingredients
- 1 cup of desalted and shredded cod
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 2 cloves of crushed garlic
- 2 tablespoons of grated onion
- 2 tablespoons of finely choppedchopped
- 2 boiled and mashed potatoes
- 1 egg
- 6 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
- Salt to taste
- Oil to grease
Mode of preparation
In a pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the garlic and onion. Turn off the heat and add the other ingredients, mixing gently until a homogeneous dough forms. Adjust the salt and shape into dumplings. Place them on a baking sheet greased with olive oil and bake in a preheated medium oven until golden brown. Serve afterwards.
Note: the dumpling made in the oven will have fewer calories than the version fried in oil.
Bacalhau à Brás
Ingredients
- 500 g desalted and shredded codfish
- 500 g thinly sliced potato
- 4 eggs
- 1 chopped onion
- 3 chopped garlic cloves
- Chopped parsley, olive oil, salt and ground pepper to taste
- Oil for frying
Method of preparation
Fill a pan with oil and heat over medium heat. Fry the potatoes until golden and crispy. Then drain off the excess oil on paper towels. Set aside. In a pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic until golden. Add the cod and sauté for a few minutes. Add the fried potatoes and mix well. In a bowl, beat the eggs and season with salt, pepper and parsley. While still on the heat, pour over the cod and stir quickly until the eggs are cooked and a creamy mixture is formed. Serve afterwards.
Bacalhoada
Ingredients
- 1 kg of desalted and shredded codfish
- 1 kg of potatoes cut into slices
- 3 onions cut into slices
- 3 tomatoes cut into slices
- 2 peppers (red and green) cut into strips
- 4 hard-boiled eggs cut into slices
- 200 g pitted black olives
- 4 chopped garlic cloves
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
- Oil, salt and ground pepper to taste
- Water
Preparation method
In a large saucepan, cover the potatoes with water, add a pinch of salt and bring to the boil over medium heat until tender. Drain and set aside. In a large serving dish, arrange a layer of potatoes on the bottom. Then place a layer of onions, followed by tomatoes and peppers. Arrange the shredded cod on top of the vegetables in the dish. Spread the hard-boiled eggs and olives over the cod. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt, pepper and chopped garlic. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated medium oven for about 40-50 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and the cod is cooked through. Remove the foil in the last 15 minutes of cooking to brown. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve hot.
By Marcia Marcon
