Latino History

Cooking with Bacalao

Written by Rich Vázquez

Articles - Culinary

Bacalao can't be found on a Taco Bell menu or many other Latino restaurants. It is a favorite in Latin America, Spain, Portugal, or wherever there is an ocean port. This interesting entrée brings Norway into the circle of influence on Latin American culture. Norway, a nation rich in fishing and sea traditions, had a lot to offer Spain and Portugal when the ships rolled in.

Bacalao can't be found on a Taco Bell menu or many other Latino restaurants. It is a favorite in Latin America, Spain, Portugal, or wherever there is an ocean port. This interesting entrée brings Norway into the circle of influence on Latin American culture. Norway, a nation rich in fishing and sea traditions, had a lot to offer Spain and Portugal when the ships rolled in.

Bacalao is simply codfish. You'll see it spelled Bacalhau in Portuguese-speaking nations such as Brazil. It can be fried, broiled, stewed, baked, and anything else there is to do with food. The Spaniards brought it to the New World in a form best for travel. They salted the fish and let them dry on sun-baked stones in those days. This kept the fish preserved and made an excellent choice for men who would be away from home with no known source of food. Its portability also made it one of the first foods introduced to the indigenous populations and made it a continued tradition in the Latin American world.

These dishes may prove to be an acquired taste for those who have never had the opportunity to enjoy them before. Bacalao is what some people would call a "fishy" fish. Besides that, there's the salt. My family had it every Christmas in a salad dish similar to ceviche. I was pleased to see there was so much available when I sought it out again as an adult craving those foods.

Cod is both nutritious and tasty. It is actually more nutritious than beef, chicken, and most fish. If you can't find bacalao by that name, try whiting or other types of codfish. Unless you're using one of the substitutes, bacalao must be soaked to remove the salt content (and sometimes rehydrate). While some recipes call for only eight hours of soaking, I recommend at least 24 hours of soaking the fish (in the refrigerator). If you are watching your salt intake, let it soak for 48 hours, changing the water after the first day.

The second step most of the recipes will call for is flaking the fish. Depending on the fish, you may be able to slice it quite easily. I usually put it on a cutting board with the skin down and use a fork to scrape off the meat. This allows the scraping to go around the bones, and the skin below is tough enough to endure the pressure of the fork without tearing.

Now you're ready to make any of the recipes below. I have two favorite and easy meals I make on a regular basis.

Put one tablespoon of olive oil into a frying pan
Dice one small onion
Add the onion and one teaspoon of crushed garlic to the pan
Add the flaked fish to the pan
Stir-fry until the onion is soft.

Meal ending one (breakfast):
Add two eggs and finish by scrambling them until cooked to your taste.
You can also add the bacalao mixture to your favorite fried breakfast potato recipe)

Meal ending two (lunch/dinner):
Boil some yucca root until soft, then mix with the bacalao. Olive oil makes a good dressing.

Share your recipes in the Forum
What's your best or favorite dish?