Bacalao

Bacalao is a popular salted cod fish dish present in every Caviteñean house every Lenten season most especially on Good Friday. This is one the many dish we inherited from the Portuguese galleon traders that pre-dates Spanish occupation.

This is our version at home of the popular Spanish dish made of dried fish.

Ingredients:

2 big pieces bacalao (dried salted cod) or, as substitutes, dried salted lapu-lapu or barracuda (about 5 cups or more of shredded fish)

1 cup olive oil
4 large potatoes, cut to small cubes
1 head garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups garbanzos (chick peas), cooked
4 red bell peppers, diced
atchuete oil
laurel leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
Soak the bacalao overnight. Drain. Flake fish, discarding bones.

Fry fish flakes in olive oil. Fry the potatoes to golden brown. Set aside. Saute garlic and onions in olive oil. Pour in atchuete oil and one cup water, and bring to a boil. Add the fish, garbanzos, peppers and laurel leaves, stirring. Then put in the fried potatoes. Add more olive oil, if necessary. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with hot rice.

Note: Some Caviteños add chopped cabbage as extenders. Others use tomato sauce for color rather than achuete oil.

Best paired with : Green Mango

Bacalao is also eaten as palaman for hot pandesal.