Lockdown Recipes: Portuguese Fish and Chips
By The Editor
28th Mar 2020 | Local News
Penarth Nub News has teamed up with a local chef, Tom Hann, who will be providing regular recipes for you to try out whilst the town is in lockdown.
Today's dish is Portugues Fish and Chips.
He said: ''This recipe is one I discovered many years ago from the hairy bikers series and cookbook (mums know best) and is a traditional Portuguese dish called Bacalhau a Bras or Portuguese fish and chips.
''I have found over the years that it's a very flexible recipe and works with a variety of fish and vegetables, at home we often used the tradition salt cod with oven chips for a quick easy supper although the salt cod takes some forward planning as it needs to soak 24 hours prior to cooking.''
Our local chef has been out of work since the restaurant he worked in (The Pilot) shut its doors temporarily due to the coronavirus outbreak.
He has been finding ways to keep the community cooking; including, providing meal plans for his neighbours.
Original ingredients, Alternative ingredients in brackets:
• 500g Salt cod*, (salmon or smoked haddock work well but any fish can be used)• 1 white onion
• 1 large bunch of Parsley (rocket, watercress or mezuna)• 1 bag of Spinach, (baby spinach, Kale)
• 1 kg Potatoes• 4 eggs
• Dash of white wine vinegar.• 2 tbs oil
• Salt and pepper to taste- If you are using salt cod soak for 24 hours changing the water once at around the 12-hour mark.
- If you are making homemade chips start by peeling your potatoes keeping in a bowl of water to remove a little starch and chip into 1cm batons again leaving in water to remove a little more starch.
- Then in a large pan take some water and a dash of white wine vinegar and Blanche your chips for roughly 15 minutes or until just starting to soften then drain thoroughly.
- Next put the chips onto a roasting tray with 1 ½ tbs of the oil and a couple of pinches of salt, turn them regularly and roast for roughly half an hour or till golden brown.
- While the chips are roasting wash your leaves and roughly chop ready for use
- In a smaller pan poach your fish till just cooked, 4-10 minutes depending on fish and size of fillet.
- Remove any bones and skin then flake into a bowl and set aside.
- Dice the onion, and when the chips are almost ready, fry the onion on high heat until starting to brown.
- Add your green vegetables to the hot pan, this is important because the water content of the leaves will take a lot of heat from the pan, and wilt until vibrant green colour and soft.
- Then make a hole in the centre of the pan and add your eggs in the middle, roughly scramble for 30 seconds and then add flaked fish.
- Then incorporate and continue cooking till the egg is done and fish is hot, but not too long otherwise the mix will dry out.
- Add chips and fish mix to a bowl, toss together and serve.
- Season to taste.
Amy Hann created the artwork for this recipe and will continue to do so for our lockdown series. She is the sister of the chef and a local artist and designer.
Make sure you click through our gallery to check out the photo method too.
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