Bacalhau com Natas - Cod Fish Casserole

This is one of those dishes that if you ask any portuguese person, they will most likely have tried it at least once in their life. Bacalhau (salt cod fish) is a staple in the portuguese kitchen, and it can be quite expensive but it's readily available in any Portuguese community. 

 

The only way I can get it here is either by having my family mail it all the way from South Africa or I would have to go online and pay a crazy amount for shipping. Recently my commissary started carrying cod fish, not the salted kind, but it's the same thing. 

 

Usually when it's salted you have to soak it for 24 hours before cooking but when it's just frozen you can skip that part. So this past week I bought some to make this wonderful cod fish in a cream sauce with potatoes and onions and garlic and OH.MY.GOODNESS. Love it! It's also my kids favorite way to eat fish. 

 

BACALHAU COM NATAS - COD FISH CASSEROLE

 

4 cod fish fillets (btw, you can substitute any other fish if you prefer) 

4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed 

2 medium onions, sliced thinly (or 1 large) 

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 

olive oil 

salt and pepper 

shredded carrots....about 1/4 cup 

3 green onions, thinly sliced 

 

For the cream sauce: 

 

2 cups of milk 

1 cup of heavy cream 

2 tablespoons of butter 

4 tablespoons flour

 

 

Cook the potatoes in boiling water until tender, transfer to an oven proof dish. Set aside. In another pot, cook the fish until done, drain and shred the cod fish. In a skillet, add the olive oil, onions, garlic,

carrots, green onionsand salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes until veggies are tender, add the cod fish and check the seasonings. (If you're using salt cod you don't need to add any extra salt)

 

 

In separate pot, mix the milk, cream, butter and flour and using a wire whisk, cook over medium heat until thick. If need be use an immersion blender to get all the lumps out. Add the cod fish mixture to the potatoes and stir everything together.

 

 

Now pour the cream sauce over the mixture and pop into a 375º oven for about 20 minutes or until it's hot and bubbly. (Another variation is to add some bread crumbs to the top before popping in the oven).

 

 

Roast Fish and Potatoes!

My kids LOVE fish which makes me extremely happy, but I don't want to just hand out fish sticks or do the common fried fish, too much grease for my liking.

Growing up in a portuguese household, we were lucky to have a huge variety of fish available, we didn't quite appreciate it as kids but now we love it. This is one of the easiest, quickest ways to fix fish and the smell that fills your house as it cooks away in the oven, is just wonderful.

ROAST FISH AND POTATOES

1lb fish fillets (I use flounder, cod or a whole fish for this)
1 medium onion, sliced
1 red pepper, chopped or sliced (whichever you prefer)
olive oil
salt and pepper
garlic powder
bay leaf
paprika
1 small can tomato sauce
3 or 4 small potatoes, cubed and boiled


In a 13 x 9 inch. baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, place a layer of the fish fillets, a layer of onions, peppers, salt and pepper, garlic powder, bay leaf and paprika.


Place another layer of the fish fillets and repeat with the onion, peppers and spices.

If you're doing a whole fish, then obviously you don't need to keep layering, just pile on the onions and peppers on top of the fish and drizzle with some more olive oil.


Bake in a 400º oven for about 30 minutes or until fish is cooked through.

In the meantime, take 3 or 4 small potatoes, cut them into cubes and boil them until done. About 10 minutes before the fish is done, add them to the pan and pour one small can of tomato sauce over.

Enjoy!

If you try the recipe, please come back and let me know what you thought :)

Lulas de Caldeirada - Calamari Stew

One of my favorite favorite things on earth is calamari, squid, octopus etc......any and all of those. Back in South Africa one of my favorite dishes growing up was this stew that my Stepmom, Nela, used to make....I crave it so often and for the longest time I couldn't find good calamari.

I was so happy to find it at the base commissary so for dinner tonight I decided to make it. The kids don't really like it that much but Curt and I love it and when he walked in from work this afternoon he went straight to the stove and stood there, inhaling the wonderful aroman while it cooked away. LOL

Are you in the mood for some??? Alright let me show you how I make it.

LULAS DE CALDEIRADA - CALAMARI STEW

2 lbs calamari
1 large onion, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
1 large tomato sliced or 1 can of diced tomatoes
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
garlic
paprika
bay leaf
cubed potatoes


In a pot you are going to add some olive oil and then layer, sliced onions...

Sliced green pepper

Usually you use thinly sliced tomatoes, but this time I used a can of diced tomatoes, add half a can

Now add your calamari (squid whatever) I cleaned mine out and cut it into pieces.


Next we add one bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste, garlic powder and paprika


Add another layer of onions, green peppers and tomatoes


One handful of cilantro, just chop it up roughly


So pretty isn't it??? Wait until it starts cooking away on the stove.....Lordy it's wonderful


Simmer on medium heat until onion and green pepper is tender.....

Add the cubed potatoes and some water to just barely cover them......simmer again for another 20 to 25 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through. Just keep an eye on it and stir it once in a while so it doesn't stick



Enjoy! If you try it out, let me know what you thought :)

Bacalhau com Natas (Cod with Cream)

I love cod fish and it's one of the things that I truly miss about being at home...it's really hard for me to find good Cod Fish here in Idaho, and if I want the typical salt dried cod then I have to get it online which is very expensive OR I have my family send it through the mail :)

This is one of my favorite ways to prepare cod fish.

Cod with Cream Sauce
(Bacalhau de natas)

Ingredients:

Cod (about 2 or 3 pieces)

3 medium potatoes or 4 small ones, diced

1 package heavy cream (about 1 1/2 pints)

2 cups milk

margarine or butter

2 tbsp flour

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

salt and pepper to taste

Cook the cod, if using salt code then remember to soak it for 24 hours previously to making this dish.

Fry the potatoes, just until tender then add the margarina or butter and flour and cook stirring constantly. Add the milk, heavy cream, salt and pepper to taste.

Fry the onion in a little bit of olive oil, just until transparent.

In an oven proof dish place the slightly fried onion, the cod and then the fried potatoes, topping with shredded cheese. Place in the oven until golden brown.

About 375º F for about 20 minutes or so.