A Fish Worth Waiting For

Same fish, different treatment

Stockfish and the salted, dried cod used in Portuguese bacalhau dishes often begin with the same fish: Atlantic cod. What happens next makes the difference.

Stockfish, called tørrfisk in Norway and stoccafisso in Italy, is dried without added salt. The cleaned fish is hung on wooden racks, where cold coastal air and wind gradually remove its moisture.

Salted bacalhau is salted and dried. In Norway, this type of product is known as klippfisk, or clipfish, traditionally dried on coastal rocks. Salting draws water from the flesh and contributes to its preservation and distinctive character. Strictly speaking, bacalhau simply means “cod” in Portuguese, although in traditional cooking it usually refers to the salted, dried version.

Both need water before they reach the cooking pot. Stockfish is soaked to soften its hard flesh; salted bacalhau is soaked to remove excess salt as well as restore moisture. The time required depends on the product and the thickness of the pieces. That bowl of water is doing considerably more work than Truffle suspects.

Nature’s drying room

The Lofoten islands offer particularly favourable conditions for making stockfish. During the traditional drying season, roughly from February to May, the weather is cold enough to slow spoilage while the air and wind gradually dry the fish. Drying commonly takes two to four months, depending on conditions. As moisture disappears, the organisms responsible for spoilage no longer have enough available water to thrive. No added salt required.

It is also the season when migrating skrei, a population of Atlantic cod, arrive from the Barents Sea to spawn along the Norwegian coast. A useful meeting of fish, weather and human ingenuity.

From northern voyages to southern tables

Stockfish was already used in the Viking age, providing preserved food for long sea journeys. We cannot name its first inventor or give an exact date of discovery, but its history reaches well beyond the refrigerator.

One memorable encounter took place in 1432, when Venetian merchant Pietro Querini was shipwrecked near Røst. Rescued by local people, he observed their stockfish traditions and later brought dried fish home to Venice. Centuries later, stockfish remains part of Italian cooking. One famous example is bacalà alla vicentina, which uses unsalted stockfish despite its locally confusing name.

Portugal developed its own enduring relationship with salted cod, with Portuguese fishing in Newfoundland waters documented by the early sixteenth century. Bacalhau became deeply rooted in the country’s food culture. Meanwhile, Norwegian stockfish also found a lasting place in Nigerian kitchens. These traditions have travelled far, and they are still very much alive.

And who was Gomes de Sá?

Our chosen dish, Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá, takes us to Porto. It is attributed to José Luís Gomes de Sá Júnior, a cod merchant who lived from 1851 to 1926. According to local tradition, he passed his recipe to a cook at the Lisbonense restaurant. His name lives on in a dish combining bacalhau with potatoes, onions, olive oil, eggs and olives.

What began as a practical way to preserve fish became a culinary tradition worth keeping. Drying, salting and maturation create flavours and textures that fresh cod cannot simply reproduce. Modern refrigeration may offer a shorter route to dinner, but it cannot recreate that history in a mouthful.

Choosing your fish

For this recipe, I start with 400 g of dried, salted bacalhau for a generous meal for two. The fish absorbs water during soaking, and the skin and bones still need to be removed afterwards, so the final yield depends on the cut.

As with fresh cod, bacalhau comes in different cuts and qualities. Good, thick pieces may cost a little more, but in my experience they are worth it.

Be generous with the olive oil

This is Mediterranean cooking, and I like to be generous with the olive oil. It helps the onions become beautifully soft, while a final drizzle of good-quality oil brings the dish together.

Cook once, enjoy twice

When I worked full-time, I often made a double batch so dinner was already taken care of for the following working day. Oven dishes and slow-cooked meals were particularly useful for that. A little extra cooking today, one less thing to think about tomorrow.

If you do the same, cool the extra portion promptly and refrigerate it. When reheating, add a little reserved cooking liquid if needed, cover to keep the fish moist and heat thoroughly. You can keep the finishing drizzle of olive oil and fresh parsley for serving.

The Quick KAT… or perhaps not

I may have to disappoint anyone in a hurry: there is no truly quick KAT for this recipe. The fish needs its soaking time, and patience is part of the preparation.

There is, however, a way to get ahead. I once prepared a larger batch of bacalhau, soaked and cooked it, then removed the skin and bones. I vacuum-packed a portion with some of its cooking liquid and froze it.

The cooking liquid matters: it helps keep the fish moist. When I used that portion later, I found it just as tasty. I have only tried this once, but it worked very well for me.

If you try it, cool the fish and liquid promptly, pack them cold and freeze straight away. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.