Congregados Codfish
This codfish recipe originated in a convent belonging to the Congregation of Saint Benedict in the Monasteries of the Benedictine Order.
A mythical eating house called A Flor dos Congregados, in downtown Oporto, has perpetuated the memory of this simple yet traditional recipe.
This pleasant dish is often forgotten within a gastronomic world that prefers more international and manufactured cuisine.
Congregados Codfish has been copied throughout time as is the case of Manuel Ferreira in 1933 on his book ‘A Cozinha Ideal’ and Branca Miraflor in 1935 on ‘200 Maneiras de Cozinhar Peixe’.
Dry the codfish, remove its skin and bones, and split it in slices. Peel the raw potatoes and slice them.
Place alternate layers of onion rings, chopped parsley, cloves, salted potato slices, codfish slices with pepper, and garlic slices on a clay cooking pot where the last layer ought to be potatoes. Pour abundant olive oil until it covers the whole mixture, cover the pot, and leave it to bake shaking it from time to time until the potatoes are done.
Selecções do Reader’s Digest. (1984). Tesouros da Cozinha Tradicional Portuguesa. Porto, p. 94-95.
Pontes, L. (2013). Outras Comidas: Bacalhau à Congregado. Acedido a 17 de Março de 2020.
Livros portugueses de cozinha - Google Livros. (1998). Acedido a 17 de Março de 2020.