Bacalhau à Brás

Ingredients

• 13¼ ozsalt coddesalted, skin and bones removed, finely flaked
• 1⅓ lbpotatoessuitable for frying, cut into very thin matchsticks
• 6eggsbeaten
• 2onionfinely chopped or thinly sliced
• 2 clovesgarlicsliced or chopped, softened with the onion
• 1¾ ozblack olivespitted, for garnish
• 2 tbspparsleychopped, for the eggs and for garnish
• 3 tbspolive oilfor softening the onion; plus plenty for frying the potatoes
• saltsparingly, the cod is already salty
• pepperwhite or black, freshly ground
• 1 pinchnutmegfreshly grated, into the eggs (optional)
• chiveschopped, for garnish (optional)

Method

1. Desalt the salt codStart by desalting the salt cod: put it in cold water, keep it in the fridge and change the water several times.
2. Poach and flake the fishBriefly poach the desalted fish in boiling water, then drain it and squeeze it out well. Remove the skin and bones and flake the fish finely.
3. Cut and rinse the potatoesPeel the potatoes and cut them into very thin matchsticks with a mandoline or a sharp knife. Rinse them in water until it runs clear, then dry them thoroughly.
4. Fry the potato strawsHeat plenty of olive oil and fry the potato matchsticks in batches until golden and crisp. Drain them on kitchen paper and salt them lightly.
5. Soften onions and garlicFinely chop the onions and soften them with the garlic in a little olive oil, without letting them take on any colour.
6. Combine fish and potatoesAdd the flaked salt cod and let it cook for a moment with the onions, without browning it. Season with pepper and go easy on the salt, since the fish brings plenty of its own. Then gently fold in the potato straws.
7. Cook in the eggsBeat the eggs with the chopped parsley, pepper and, if you like, a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Pour them over the fish and stir gently over medium heat until the eggs are just set and still soft and moist.
8. Garnish and serveTurn everything out onto a platter, scatter over the black olives and parsley, plus some chives if you like, and serve straight away.

Tips and variations

Coriander can take the place of the parsley, both in the eggs and scattered over the top. Chives can do the same job, replacing the parsley in the eggs as well as in the garnish. A pinch of saffron in the eggs gives the dish a deeper golden colour, and raw onion rings make a fresh extra garnish. You can also skip poaching the fish and add it to the pan straight after desalting. For a more modern take, serve it deconstructed: a nest of potato straws topped with the cod and onion and a fried egg with crisp, lacy edges instead of the scramble, with a black olive mayonnaise alongside. The classic scramble wants to go to the table right away, while the eggs are still creamy and the potatoes still have a little crunch.