Codfish Soup (Sopa de Bacalhau)
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 45 min. (requires prior 24-48 hours desalting of codfish)
Salt codfish is widely used in Portugal in all shapes and forms. It's no surprise, then, that there is a codfish soup. Rarely found on restaurants menus, it's dearly loved by country folks.
Ingredients
- 450 gr (1 lbs) salt cod fish, desalted for 24-48 hours and then cut into 3cm (about 2.5 inches) cubes
- 1 medium size onion, whole
- 2 large potatoes
- 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 60 ml (4 tbsp) olive oil
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 4 medium size eggs, poached
- 1 liter water or fish stock
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander or Italian parsley
- toasted bread to serve
Preparation:
In a deep saucepan bring 1 liter water to a boil. Add the whole onion and the salt codfish pieces. Add more water if necessary to barely cover the cod fish. Bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to a barely simmer and let fish cook in the water for about 10 minutes. In the meantime, peel and cube the potatoes. You should have about 2 cups of potatoes. Plunge them in water and set aside.
Remove codfish and onion from water and save the broth. Look for any fish bones if necessary. Keep it warm. Cook potato cubes in the fish broth for about 10 minutes or until al dente.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and sauté garlic gently stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes.
Return codfish to the saucepan with the fish-potato broth and add the garlic. Warm it up gently. Taste for salt and pepper.
Divide cod fish pieces into 4 servings. Add 1 poached egg per serving on top of the soup. Drizzle it with the remaining olive and fresh coriander. Serve with toasted bread.