For many years there were scarce references to codfish in recipe books, and those that existed were intended for the elite, who not only knew how to read but also had the necessary financial conditions to purchase them. For instance, codfish was absent in the first and most famous cooking books known to us: Livro de Cozinha da Infanta D. Maria and Arte de Cozinha by Domingos Rodrigues.
Thus, the first historic reference we have is in a 1715 manuscript by Francisco Borges Henriques entitled Receitas de milhores doces e de alguns guizados…, where it appears under the name Frigideiras de bacalhau. After reading the recipe we realise that it is similar to our current Brás-style codfish.
Brás-style codfish may be the real emblem of codfish in Lisbon in spite of its similarity to Lisbon’s Codfish and Assis Codfish. Its history is not specifically known, but according to legend, its invention is attributed to an innkeeper in Bairro Alto called Braz, somewhere in the late 19th century. It is also known in Spain as Revuelto de bacalau a la portuguesa.
After soaking the codfish, remove the skin and bones, and shred the rest by hand. Whisk the eggs in a bowl. Sauté sliced onions in a frying pan with crushed cloves of garlic in olive oil and let it simmer. Add the codfish and after mixing it well add very thin shoestring fries until it all softens. Add the whisked eggs and stir using a fork until it becomes slightly creamy. At the end, adjust the seasoning and sprinkle parsley and olives onto the finished plate.
Henriques, F.B. (1715). Receitas de milhores doces e de alguns guizados particullares e remedios de conhecida expiriencia que fes Francisco Borges Henriques para uzo da sua caza. No anno de 1715. Tem seo alfabeto no fim. Manuscrito.
Sobral, J. M.; Rodrigues, P. (2013) O “fiel amigo”: o bacalhau e a identidade portuguesa. Etnográfica 17 (3), p.619-649.
VVAA (2016). As melhores receitas de Bacalhau – Ideias para + de 100 refeições. Impala
Guedes, F. (2001). As 100 maneiras de cozinhar Bacalhau e outros peixes. Publicações Dom Quixote
Rosa-Limpo, B.; Caetano, M.M.; Canto, J.B. (2010). O Livro de Pantagruel. Temas e Debates
VVAA (2003) O Grande Livro das Receitas de Bacalhau. Impala