A copper pot of bacalhau a Bras--or Portuguese scrambled eggs, salt cod, potatoes, onions, olives, and parsley.
Rating
4.83 / 34 votes
Comments 53 Comments
Original recipe by David Leite
Photographer David Leite

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Bacalhau a bras, a delicious lunch, dinner, or even brunch dish is from the classic restaurant Bota Alta, in Lisbon’s Bairro Alto district.

A copper pot of bacalhau a Bras--or Portuguese scrambled eggs, salt cod, potatoes, onions, olives, and parsley.

Bacalhau a Bras ~ Salt Cod, Potatoes & Eggs

4.83 / 34 votes
This delicious lunch, dinner, or even brunch dish is from the classic restaurant Bota Alta, in Lisbon's Bairro Alto district.
David Leite
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CourseMains
CuisinePortuguese
Servings6 servings
Calories572 kcal
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound dried salt cod, soaked overnight and cooked
  • 7 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into matchstick-size strips (about 6 cups)
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 8 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves, divided
  • 18 black or green olives

Instructions 

  • Flake the fish, discarding any bones.
  • Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy, large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes in batches and saute until crisp and golden, about 7 minutes per batch. Transfer the potatoes to paper towels to drain.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the same skillet. Add the onion and bay leaf and saute until golden, about 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.
  • Reduce the heat to low. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the onion slices in the skillet. Mix in the fish and potatoes.
  • Whisk the eggs, the 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl to blend. Add the egg mixture and 3 tablespoons of the parsley to the fish mixture in the skillet. Cook over medium heat until the eggs are softly set, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes.
  • Transfer the eggs to a platter. Garnish with the olives and the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley.
A Leite's Culinaria Original Recipe

An LC Original

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Nutrition

Serving: 1 portionCalories: 572 kcalCarbohydrates: 24 gProtein: 59 gFat: 26 gSaturated Fat: 5 gMonounsaturated Fat: 16 gTrans Fat: 1 gCholesterol: 363 mgSodium: 5738 mgFiber: 2 gSugar: 2 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe?Mention @leitesculinaria or tag #leitesculinaria!
Recipe © 2018 David Leite. Photo © 2018 David Leite. All rights reserved.

Where Can I Find Bacalhau?

Salt cod is available at Portuguese markets, Italian markets as baccalà, and at Spanish markets as bacalao.

Our favorite supplier is Portugalia Marketplace in Fall River, MA. They have amazing Norwegian salted cod, which is what I get everything I visit my mom. But if you aren’t in the South Coast region of Massachusetts, Portugalia ships.

Cut Norge Norwegian Salted Codfish

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About David Leite

I count myself lucky to have received three James Beard Awards for my writing as well as for Leite’s Culinaria. I’m the author of The New Portuguese Table and Notes on a Banana. For more than 25 years, I’ve been developing and testing recipes for my site, my books, and publications. My work has also appeared in the New York Times, Martha Stewart Living, Saveur, Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Food & Wine, Yankee, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, and more. I’m also a cooking teacher, memoirist, and inveterate cat lady.

Read More About Me
4.83 from 34 votes (25 ratings without comment)

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53 Comments

  1. I have been trying your wonderful recipes in the past few months, and every one of them has been a success. They are better recipes than the ones from a cookbook I bought at the famous Lello Bookstore in Porto. Thank you.

    Reply

    1. Roseana, what a lovely note—thank you so much! I’m truly honored that my recipes have outshone even those from the famous Lello Bookstore (which, let’s be honest, is more beautiful than a bookstore should be!). It means the world to me that you’ve been cooking along and finding success. Muito obrigado! Please keep cooking and sharing—it’s readers like you who make this all worthwhile.

      Reply