Este prato de bacalhau com favas é uma celebração dos sabores da primavera, onde a tradição portuguesa encontra um toque de modernidade. O bacalhau, cozido lentamente em azeite até ficar tenro e suculento, é servido sobre um leito vibrante de favas e hortelã, criando um contraste de sabores e texturas que é simultaneamente rústico e elegante. É uma refeição leve, sofisticada e profundamente reconfortante.

Ingredientes

  • 1 Lombo de bacalhau
  • 1 cm de gengibre finamente picado
  • 1 malagueta finamente picada
  • 2 Dentes de alho com casca e escaldados
  • Azeite virgem extra QB
  • 5 Grãos de pimenta da jamaica
  • 300 favas peladas
  • 2 Dentes alho finamente picados
  • 100 g Alho-francês
  • Hortelã cortada em chifonade QB
  • 50 g Toucinho fumado em cubinhos
  • 150 g Tomate pelados e sem sementes cortados em cubinhos
  • 50 ml Azeite virgem extra
  • Sal e pimenta preta QB
  • Sumo de limão QB

Preparação

  1. Coloque o bacalhau num pequeno tabuleiro de forno e acrescente azeite até meio da altura dos lombos.
  2. Adicione os alhos escaldados com a pele, a pimenta da Jamaica, a malagueta e o gengibre.
  3. Deixe cozer em forno pré aquecido a 150 ºC durante 25 minutos.
  4. Pique o alho-francês, o toucinho fumado, o alho e aloure em azeite.
  5. Junte o tomate, as favas e salteie por breves momentos.
  6. Rectifique os temperos e perfume com hortelã e o sumo de limão.
  7. Emprate, colocando a guarnição no fundo do prato, o lombo de bacalhau por cima e finalize regando com o azeite da cozedura.

For a dish that sings of springtime and celebrates one of Portugal’s most treasured ingredients, here is the English version.

Confit Cod with Broad Beans

This elegant dish is a beautiful example of how traditional Portuguese ingredients can be presented in a fresh and modern way. At its heart is the classic pairing of salt cod (bacalhau) and broad beans, but the technique and aromatics elevate it to something truly special. The cod is gently poached in olive oil infused with ginger, chilli, and allspice—a method known as confit—which results in incredibly moist, tender flakes of fish that melt in your mouth.

This succulent cod is served on a vibrant, flavourful bed of fresh broad beans, sautéed with smoked bacon and leeks, and brought to life with the bright, refreshing perfume of fresh mint and a squeeze of lemon juice. It’s a dish of beautiful contrasts: the rich, silky fish against the fresh, slightly firm beans; the warmth of the spices against the cool lift of the mint.

It’s a perfect dish for a special spring or summer lunch, sophisticated enough for entertaining yet straightforward enough for a delicious weekend meal. It showcases how a few high-quality ingredients, treated with care, can create a truly memorable plate of food.

Ingredients

  • 1 Loin of salt cod
  • 1 cm fresh ginger, finely chopped
  • 1 chilli, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, skin on and blanched
  • Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
  • 5 Jamaican peppercorns (allspice berries)
  • 300g shelled broad beans
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 100g leek, finely chopped
  • Fresh mint, cut into a chiffonade, to taste
  • 50g smoked bacon, diced
  • 150g tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
  • 50ml extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Lemon juice to taste

Method

  1. Place the cod loin in a small, snug-fitting oven dish and pour in enough olive oil to come halfway up the sides of the fish.
  2. Add the blanched garlic cloves (with their skins on), the allspice berries, the chilli, and the ginger to the oil.
  3. Cook in a preheated oven at 150°C (130°C Fan / Gas Mark 2) for 25 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, sauté the chopped leek, smoked bacon, and the second measure of finely chopped garlic in olive oil until softened and fragrant.
  5. Add the diced tomatoes and the shelled broad beans and sauté for a few moments more.
  6. Check and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, then perfume the mixture with the fresh mint and a squeeze of lemon juice.
  7. To serve, spoon the broad bean mixture onto the bottom of the plate, place the confit cod loin on top, and finish by drizzling with the flavour-infused oil from the cooking dish.

Tips:

  • The confit method cooks the cod very gently. It’s important not to use a high temperature, as you want to poach it in the oil, not fry it.
  • Blanching the garlic cloves before adding them to the oil softens their flavour, making them sweet and aromatic rather than harsh.
  • If fresh broad beans are not in season, good quality frozen ones work perfectly well. Just be sure to thaw them first.
  • The infused olive oil from cooking the cod is liquid gold! Don’t throw it away. Use it for drizzling over the final dish, for dressing salads, or for dipping bread.