The Portuguese Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá is a traditional cod dish made with shredded salt cod with potatoes, hard boiled eggs, sliced onions, garlic, olives, and extra virgin olive oil. It’s a hit at Portuguese tables from north to south, and one of the most popular ways of preparing bacalhau in Portugal. Continue to read to learn how to make authentic Gomes de Sá Cod.

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The Origins of Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá

Like many traditional Portuguese recipes, Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá was named after its creator, José Luís Gomes de Sá Junior, a codfish merchant in Porto. He not only loved cooking, but also loved sharing his food with those close to him. Having mastered Codfish Cakes, he decided to create a different cod dish with the same ingredients. The result he achieved was Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá. The recipe was so successful that he ended up selling it to a friend that was a cook in a restaurant called Lisbonense.

The letter containing the recipe was famously accompanied by explicit instructions. The first one was that the dish should be served straight out of the oven, while still hot. The second was that under no circumstance the recipe should be altered or it would ruin the dish. Although we don’t have Gomes de Sá secret recipe, we can guarantee you this adaptation will be very successful among friends and family, and most importantly, it won’t disrespect Gomes de Sá’s memory.

An Authentic Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá

Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá is a super simple dish that doesn’t require dozens of ingredients. So, their quality is really important since every ingredient will stand out on its own. The star of the dish is the salt cod, I recommend using cod loins (lombo de bacalhau) which is a cut from the center of the loin and the most tender part of the fish. In Portugal you will find it in basically every supermarket or grocery store. The traditional way is to buy the salt cod and soak it for a couple of days to remove the excessive salt. Although you can also buy pre-washed and re-hydrated bacalhau. You will also need a good quality extra virgin olive oil, onions, garlic, potatoes, eggs, fresh parsley, a bay leaf, salt, and black pepper.

A Note on Portuguese Salt Cod

If it’s your first time cooking salt cod, keep in mind that you will need to remove the excess of salt before it’s suitable for cooking. The best way to do it is to rinse the fish, then place it in a container, of which you have the lid, cover it with cold water, then place it in the fridge. The water should be changed every 8 hours. The total soaking time varies depending on the size and thickness of the cod. Usually, for loin pieces I soak it for 2-3 days, changing the water at night and in the morning. If that sounds too complicated, you can also buy frozen cod that’s ready for cooking. Continue to read to learn how to make this Portuguese Cod Casserole.