Stock-Free Codfish Soup (Maria de Lourdes Modesto)
There is no place in Portugal without its typical codfish soup. There are many variations. With or without vegetables, with or without stock, codfish soup is just another uplifting recipe made with our loyal friend.
This soup is originally from rural areas around the country, but it is mostly successful in Alentejo.
The so-called Sopa de bacalhau do conselheiro comes from the family recipe of Mr Domingos Pereira de Braga, who was the mayor in 1919. There are records showing that this soup was extremely appreciated in the whole region.
Alentejo’s codfish soup is often made with spinach. In Alto Alentejo spinach is replaced with curly dock.
The ‘Almoço da Freira Spinach Soup’ is also a variant of this region’s codfish soup. Farmers would prepare this soup on the day of the fair and serve it to family and friends.
Stock-free soup, which was usually prepared with meat or vegetables, became obviously worthy of a codfish variant.
Soak the codfish for 12 to 14 hours, then cook the codfish in salt water, an onion, a sprig of parsley, and a clove of garlic.
Cook the chickpeas in salt water on the side.
Place layers of sliced bread, sliced codfish, and chickpeas in a clay roaster where the last layer will be made of bread. Pour the water used for cooking the codfish over the mixture.
Sauté the other chopped onion, olive oil, two chopped cloves of garlic, and some parsley, season with pepper, and let it cook until the onion is slightly brown.
Pour the mixture over the previously prepared layers, pour more of the water used for cooking the codfish, and leave it to toast slightly in the oven.
Guedes, F. (2001). As 100 maneiras de cozinhar Bacalhau e outros peixes. Lisboa: Publicações Dom Quixote, p. 64-65
Saramago, A. (2000). Cozinha do Minho. (pp.53) Lisboa: Assírio & Alvim, p. 53; 78
Selecções do Reader’s Digest. (1984). Tesouros da Cozinha Tradicional Portuguesa. Porto.