Bacalhau à Lagareiro

Step 1

Place the salt cod fillets in a large bowl, cover completely with cold water, and soak in the refrigerator for 24 hours, changing the water every 6–8 hours to remove salt.

Step 2

After soaking, drain the cod, pat it completely dry with paper towels, and place it skin-side up on a plate.

Step 3

Cut the potatoes into 2-inch pieces — rough chunks — leaving the skin on; place them in a bowl.

Step 4

Slice each onion lengthwise from root to tip into 0.5-inch-thick half-moons; place in a separate bowl.

Step 5

Peel each garlic clove and leave whole; set aside in a small bowl.

Step 6

Chop the fresh parsley leaves finely — until pieces are pencil-tip sized — and set aside.

Step 7

Cut the lemon in half and set aside for juicing at the end.

Step 8

Preheat the oven to 400°F and wait until the indicator light or beep confirms it has finished heating, about 10 minutes.

Step 9

Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large shallow roasting pan (at least 9-by-13 inches), then scatter the potato pieces in a single layer.

Step 10

Roast the potatoes in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until they begin to soften slightly on the outside but are still firm when pierced with a fork.

Step 11

Remove the pan from the oven and scatter the onion slices and whole garlic cloves evenly over the potatoes.

Step 12

Drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the vegetables, sprinkle with the peppercorns, and lay 3 bay leaves on top.

Step 13

Return the pan to the oven and roast for another 10 minutes until the onions soften and the potato edges begin to brown.

Step 14

Remove the pan from the oven and nestle the salt cod skin-side up directly on top of the vegetables in the center.

Step 15

Pour the remaining olive oil (about 5–6 tablespoons) slowly over the cod skin, letting it cascade down and pool around the fish and vegetables.

Step 16

Return to the oven and bake for 12–15 minutes until the cod flesh turns pure white and flakes easily when pressed gently with a fork.

Step 17

Remove the pan from the oven and squeeze the juice of both lemon halves evenly over the cod and vegetables.

Step 18

Scatter the chopped fresh parsley in a mound over the top and season with the sea salt and black pepper.

Step 19

Serve the entire contents of the pan directly to a platter or divide among four shallow bowls, ensuring each portion includes cod, potatoes, onions, and aromatic oil.