Today we’re heading to sunny Portugal — a country where the cult of cod has been elevated to an absolute, fishermen’s stews warm the soul, and legendary crisp pastry custard tarts have conquered the world.
Baked salted cod with potatoes, onions, and olives — one of Porto’s most famous dishes. Tender flakes of fish intertwine with creamy potatoes, sweet slow-cooked onions, and briny olives, while chopped eggs and fresh parsley crown the dish. The flavor is deep and full-bodied, with a vivid Mediterranean note.
Ingredients (serves 4):
• Salted cod (bacalhau) — 500 g
• Medium potatoes — 600 g
• Large onions — 3
• Extra Virgin olive oil — 100 ml
• Garlic — 3 cloves
• Pitted black olives — 80 g
• Eggs — 3
• Fresh parsley — 1 bunch (30 g)
• Bay leaves — 2
• Milk — 200 ml
• Freshly ground black pepper — to taste
Preparation:
Step 1. Soaking the cod.
Cut the salted cod into large pieces and place it in a large container of cold water. Soak for 24–48 hours, changing the water every 6–8 hours (at least 3–4 times). Taste to check readiness: the fish should be pleasantly salty, but not overly so.
Step 2. Poaching the cod.
Place the soaked cod in a pot and cover with a mixture of water and milk (200 ml milk + enough water to cover the fish), then add the bay leaves. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then immediately reduce to low and cook for 15–20 minutes. The fish is ready when it separates easily into large flakes when pressed with a fork. Remove it, let it cool, remove the skin and bones, and pull it apart into large flakes by hand.
Step 3. Boiling the potatoes.
Wash the potatoes and boil them in their skins in salted water until tender — about 20–25 minutes. They’re ready when a knife slides effortlessly into the center of a potato. Cool, peel, and cut into rounds 5–6 mm thick.
Step 4. Slow-cooking the onions.
Slice the onions into thin half-moons, 2–3 mm thick. Heat 80 ml of olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, sliced into thin slivers. Cook gently over moderate heat for 15–18 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions should become completely soft, translucent, and golden-caramel in color, but under no circumstances burnt.
Step 5. Boiling the eggs.
Hard-boil the eggs: place them in cold water, bring to a boil, and cook for exactly 10 minutes. Transfer to ice water for 5 minutes. Peel and cut: slice 2 eggs into 4 mm rounds, and finely chop 1 egg for sprinkling.
Step 6. Assembling the dish.
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Grease an ovenproof ceramic baking dish with olive oil. Layer the ingredients as follows: half the potatoes — half the onions — all the cod flakes — the remaining onions — the remaining potatoes. Arrange the egg slices and olives on top. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil (20 ml) and season with freshly ground black pepper.
Step 7. Baking and serving.
Place the dish in the upper third of the oven and bake at 200°C for 15–20 minutes. The dish is ready when the surface takes on a light golden color and the oil begins to bubble around the edges. Remove from the oven, generously scatter with finely chopped parsley and chopped egg. Serve immediately, straight from the dish.
💡 Fact: This dish was created in the XIX century by a Porto merchant named José Luís Gomes de Sá. The recipe became so popular that Porto has a commemorative plaque dedicated to it. In Portugal, they say there are 365 ways to cook bacalhau — one for every day of the year — and this recipe invariably ranks among the top three.
A traditional Portuguese fishermen’s stew — layered, fragrant, with several kinds of fish and seafood slowly cooked in a tomato-onion broth with white wine and potatoes. It is served straight from the pot — thick, rich, with an intense taste of the sea and the bright aromas of garlic, cilantro, and paprika.
Ingredients (serves 4–5):
• White fish fillets (grouper, sea bass, or gilt-head bream) — 400 g
• Oily fish fillets (mackerel or salmon) — 300 g
• Large shrimp, shell-on — 200 g
• Potatoes — 500 g
• Large ripe tomatoes — 4 (400 g)
• Large onions — 2
• Large red bell pepper — 1
• Garlic — 4 cloves
• Dry white wine — 150 ml
• Olive oil — 80 ml
• Tomato paste — 1 tbsp.
• Sweet paprika — 1 tsp.
• Bay leaves — 2
• Fresh cilantro — 1 large bunch (40 g)
• Sea salt — to taste
• Black pepper — to taste
• Dried chili pepper (optional) — 1
Preparation:
Step 1. Preparing the fish.
Cut the white fish fillets into large pieces, about 5×5 cm. Cut the oily fish into slightly smaller pieces, 4×4 cm (it cooks faster). Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and set aside to marinate at room temperature for 15–20 minutes. Rinse the shrimp and leave them in their shells for flavor.
Step 2. Cutting the vegetables.
Peel the potatoes and slice them into rounds 5–6 mm thick. Slice the onions into half-moons 3 mm thick. Cut the bell pepper into strips 1 cm wide and 4–5 cm long. Scald the tomatoes with boiling water, peel them, and cut into large wedges. Finely chop the garlic.
Step 3. Building the layers.
Take a heavy-bottomed pot (or Dutch oven) with a capacity of 4–5 liters. Generously grease the bottom with olive oil (30 ml). Arrange the ingredients in layers in the following order: onions — potatoes — bell pepper — white fish pieces — tomatoes — garlic — oily fish pieces — shrimp. Lightly season each layer with salt, pepper, and a pinch of paprika. Tuck bay leaves and sprigs of cilantro between the layers (use the stems; save the leaves for the finish).
Step 4. Adding the liquid.
Dissolve the tomato paste in the white wine and stir together. Pour this mixture evenly over the contents of the pot. Drizzle the remaining olive oil (30 ml) over the top. The liquid should not completely cover the ingredients — the vegetables and fish will release their own juices.
Step 5. Slow-cooking.
Place the pot over medium heat and bring to a boil — you’ll hear the first bubbles after 7–10 minutes. As soon as the liquid boils, reduce the heat to low and cover tightly with a lid. Cook gently for 30–35 minutes. Under no circumstances should you stir it! The layers must stay intact. It is ready when the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife, the fish has turned opaque and flakes apart, and the shrimp have become bright pink.
Step 6. Resting and steeping.
Remove the pot from the heat without lifting the lid. Let the dish stand for 5–7 minutes — during this time, the broth will thicken and the flavors will come together. The starch from the potatoes will naturally bind the sauce.
Step 7. Serving.
Lift the lid and generously scatter with roughly chopped fresh cilantro. Serve straight from the pot, carefully spooning out portions so every plate has each kind of fish, shrimp, potatoes, and a generous helping of broth. Be sure to serve crusty white bread for mopping up the sauce.
💡 Fact: Caldeirada is a dish of Portuguese fishermen, prepared for centuries right on the shore with the fresh catch. Every coastal village has its own version, and the Portuguese argue over the “proper” recipe as passionately as the French do over bouillabaisse. The main rule of a true caldeirada: never stir — only layers, only patience.
Legendary Portuguese tarts made from the thinnest, crispiest puff pastry and filled with the most delicate custard. The custard’s surface is marked with its characteristic caramelized blisters from the fierce heat. The flavor is creamy, vanilla-citrus, with a light crisp crust that melts on the tongue. This is perhaps Portugal’s most recognizable dessert anywhere in the world.
Ingredients (makes 12):
For the pastry:
• All-purpose flour — 160 g
• Cold water — 80 ml
• Salt — a pinch
• Butter (82% fat, cold) — 125 g
For the custard:
• Whole milk — 250 ml
• Sugar — 150 g
• Water — 60 ml
• All-purpose flour — 25 g
• Egg yolks — 5
• Lemon zest (1 lemon) — 1 wide strip
• Cinnamon stick — 1
• Vanilla extract — 1 tsp.
Preparation:
Step 1. Making the pastry.
Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Pour in the cold water and knead the dough — work it for 2–3 minutes until smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky. Shape into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and leave at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Step 2. Creating the laminated layers.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 30×20 cm. Slice the butter thinly and distribute it evenly over 2/3 of the dough’s surface. Fold the dough in thirds, like a letter: first fold the “empty” third over the butter, then fold the remaining third over the top. Roll it out again into a rectangle, then roll it up tightly from the long side. The roll should be about 4–5 cm in diameter. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (2 hours is ideal). The dough should become firm and cold.
Step 3. Making the sugar syrup.
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar (150 g) and water (60 ml). Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring. As soon as the sugar has fully dissolved, stop stirring. Cook the syrup to 100–105°C (if you don’t have a thermometer, this is about 2–3 minutes after it comes to a boil; the syrup should be clear and slightly thickened). Remove from the heat and let cool until warm.
Step 4. Making the custard base.
In a separate saucepan, heat the milk with the strip of lemon zest and cinnamon stick over medium heat until the first bubbles appear (do not boil!). Remove from the heat, cover, and let infuse for 10 minutes. Remove the zest and cinnamon. In a bowl, mix the flour (25 g) with 3 tablespoons of cold milk (taken from the total amount; set it aside in advance) until you have a smooth paste with no lumps. Slowly pour in the hot infused milk in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, for 2–3 minutes, until it thickens to the consistency of thin béchamel. Remove from the heat.
Step 5. Combining the custard.
Pour the warm sugar syrup into the custard base, whisking vigorously. Let the mixture cool to 50–55°C (warm enough to feel, but not too hot to touch). Beat the egg yolks with a fork and pour them into the warm base in a thin stream, stirring constantly. Add the vanilla extract. Strain the custard through a fine sieve for perfect smoothness. The finished custard should have the consistency of thin sour cream and pour freely.
Step 6. Shaping the tarts.
Preheat the oven to its maximum temperature — 250°C (or as hot as your oven allows, at least 230°C). Use top and bottom heat. Take the pastry roll from the refrigerator and cut it into 12 equal rounds, about 1–1.5 cm thick. Place each round into a cup of a standard muffin tin. Dip your thumb in cold water and press the dough into the tin, distributing it evenly across the bottom and sides. The sides should be no more than 2–3 mm thick, and the dough should rise 1–2 mm above the rim of the tin. Make sure the bottom isn’t too thin.
Step 7. Baking.
Fill each tart shell 3/4 full with custard — no more, as the custard will rise while baking. Place the tin in the upper third of the oven. Bake at 250°C (or maximum temperature) for 12–15 minutes. Signs of doneness: the pastry has turned golden-brown and clearly layered, the custard surface is covered in characteristic dark caramel spots and blisters (this is normal and desirable!), and the custard has puffed up slightly. Remove from the oven and let cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack. If desired, dust with ground cinnamon and powdered sugar. Serve warm — that’s exactly how they eat them in Lisbon.
💡 Fact: The original recipe was created by the monks of the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém, a district of Lisbon, before the XVIII century. The monks used egg whites to starch their clothes, while the leftover yolks went into baking. After the monastery closed in 1834, the recipe was sold to the nearby Pastéis de Belém bakery, which still operates today and guards the original recipe with the utmost secrecy. More than 20 000 tarts are sold there every day!