Christmas Eve Cod ~ Bacalhau da Consoada

This Portuguese Christmas Eve cod, called bacalhau de consoada, calls for salt cod, potatoes, cabbage and hard-boiled eggs. it’s a simple, humble, traditional dish.

A white plate of bacalhau consoada or Portuguese Christmas Eve cod, with salt cod, small potatoes, and blanched kale.

For Christmas Eve supper, make plenty of this favorite easy-to-make dish.–Edite Vieira

Christmas Eve Cod ~ Bacalhau da Consoada

A white plate of bacalhau consoada or Portuguese Christmas Eve cod, with salt cod, small potatoes, and blanched kale.
This Portuguese Christmas Eve cod, called bacalhau de consoada, calls for salt cod, potatoes, cabbage and hard-boiled eggs. it’s a simple, humble, traditional dish.

Prep 25 mins
Cook 35 mins
Total 1 hr
Mains
Portuguese
6 to 8 servings
796 kcal
4.67 / 6 votes
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Ingredients 

  • 2 pounds salt cod cut into 6 or 8 fillets, soaked for 24 hours
  • 1 1/2 pounds potatoes boiled in their skins and peeled while still hot
  • 1 large head cabbage cut into 8 pieces (or 8 large kale leaves), blanched until just tender
  • 12 hard-boiled eggs sliced in half

For the sauce

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil per person
  • 1 clove garlic per person, minced
  • 1 teaspoon wine vinegar per person (or less to taste)

Directions
 

  • Fill with a large pot with enough boiling water to cover the fish by several inches. Cover the pan with a heavy dishtowel and leave the cod to soak in the hot water for 30 minutes. (If the fish isn’t cooked fully, simmer gently until finished.) Drain the cod, and remove any bits of skin or bone.
  • To make the sauce, bring the oil and garlic to a boil in a small saucepan, remove from the heat, add the vinegar, beat well and serve in a sauceboat.
Print RecipeBuy the The Taste of Portugal cookbook

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Show Nutrition

Serving: 1portionCalories: 796kcal (40%)Carbohydrates: 33g (11%)Protein: 113g (226%)Fat: 22g (34%)Saturated Fat: 5g (31%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 603mg (201%)Sodium: 10798mg (469%)Potassium: 3167mg (90%)Fiber: 8g (33%)Sugar: 9g (10%)Vitamin A: 938IU (19%)Vitamin C: 104mg (126%)Calcium: 390mg (39%)Iron: 7mg (39%)

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    For the sauce, just use extra-virgin olive oil and white wine vinager. If you like, you can add some thin slices garlic. But don’t heat the sauce. Just pour directly from the bottle!

  2. 5 stars
    My best friend since 7th grade (we are now 53 and still best friends) is from Brazil. Her father from Lisbon, Portugal, her Mother from Sao Paulo. I have fond memories of having Christmas Eve dinner at their home many, many times. They served this dish and it was delicious!!! I cannot seem to get it to taste exactly like theirs. My friend tells me the secret is in the salted cod. Her father put garlic on the plate as well. Yummy!!

    1. Hello, Lisa. It’s amazing what power food has to poke our memories, isn’t it?

      I, too, have had this dish many times on Christmas Eve. It’s simply and lovely.

      About not being able to get the same taste, my guess is, like most cooks, her mother had her own way with the dish and put in something of her own. In my family, there are some dishes all my aunts and my mother make, and we can tell exactly who cooked which version because of the taste or texture. Is your friend’s mom still alive?

  3. Landed here after searching for potato recipes. Of course I HAD to read this traditional meal and if anyone out there (especially non-portuguese or portuguese descent) attempts to try this, something we always do which really adds a nice taste to this dish is mince the garlic real small, add it to each person’s plate, then add the olive oil and about a teaspoon of sweet paprika. We mixed it all well prior to adding the cod, potatoes, egg, cabbage, etc.

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