Chef Margarida
Açorda de Camarão
The peasant bread soup of Alentejo dressed for company, sweet pink prawns swimming in a broth of garlic, coentros, and golden azeite. Humble origins, elegant result. This is who we are.
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Bacalhau à Lagareiro
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The dish that proves olive oil is not a condiment but a destination. Roasted bacalhau swimming in the best azeite you can find, served with potatoes you punch open with your fist. This is what the olive oil makers ate.
Main Dishes
Portuguese
Special Occasion
Dinner Party
30 min
Active Time
45 min cook•1 hr 15 min total
Yield4 servings
This is the dish that made me understand what azeite really means to Portuguese cooking. Not a drizzle. Not a finishing touch. A flood. A baptism. The cod should be swimming in olive oil when it reaches the table. If it isn't, you haven't made lagareiro.
The name comes from the workers at the olive press, the lagareiros, who had access to the freshest, greenest oil straight from the stone. They'd roast their bacalhau simply and pour that new oil over everything until it pooled on the plate. This wasn't excess. This was the whole point.
Avó Leonor made this for special occasions, when she had oil from her cousin's grove in Moura. She'd heat it with garlic until the kitchen smelled like something sacred, then pour it sizzling over the roasted cod. The sound it made. I can still hear it. That sizzle is the song of this dish.
And the potatoes. Batatas a murro. Punched potatoes. You roast them whole in their skins, then give each one a good punch with your fist to crack it open. The cracks drink the oil. The skins get crispy. It's violent and satisfying and delicious. At Mesa da Avó, I let guests punch their own. Everyone smiles. Everyone eats with their hands.
Bacalhau à Lagareiro originated in Portugal's central olive-producing regions, particularly Beira Litoral, where the lagar (olive press) was the heart of rural life. The dish honors the lagareiros who worked the presses during harvest and claimed the freshest oil as their reward. It became a symbol of how Portuguese cooks transform humble preservation into celebration.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
thick-cut dried salt cod (bacalhau)
Quantity
800g
soaked 2 days, water changed 3 times
small waxy potatoes
Quantity
1 kg
golf-ball sized, skin on
extra virgin olive oil (azeite)
Quantity
1 cup, plus more for roasting
garlic
Quantity
1 whole head
cloves separated and peeled
coarse sea salt
Quantity
for the potatoes
black pepper
Quantity
freshly ground, to taste
flat-leaf parsley
Quantity
for serving
chopped
black olives (optional)
Quantity
handful
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| thick-cut dried salt cod (bacalhau)soaked 2 days, water changed 3 times | 800g |
| small waxy potatoesgolf-ball sized, skin on | 1 kg |
| extra virgin olive oil (azeite) | 1 cup, plus more for roasting |
| garliccloves separated and peeled | 1 whole head |
| coarse sea salt | for the potatoes |
| black pepper | freshly ground, to taste |
| flat-leaf parsleychopped | for serving |
| black olives (optional) | handful |
Equipment Needed
- •Large baking sheet for potatoes
- •Baking sheet for cod
- •Small heavy saucepan for garlic oil
- •Large warm serving platter
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the bacalhau
After soaking the cod for two full days (water changed three times, no shortcuts), drain it and pat completely dry with kitchen towels. Really dry. Moisture is the enemy of a good crust. Cut into four equal portions if not already portioned. The pieces should be thick, at least 3 centimeters. Thin pieces dry out in the oven.
Taste a small piece before cooking. It should taste like mild, pleasant fish, not the sea. If it's still too salty, soak another 12 hours. - 2
Roast the potatoes
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Place the unpeeled potatoes on a baking sheet lined with coarse salt. The salt bed helps them cook evenly and seasons the skins. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 40 to 50 minutes, until a knife slides through easily and the skins are starting to wrinkle.
- 3
Punch the potatoes
When the potatoes are tender, remove them from the oven. Here comes the fun part. Using your fist or the heel of your hand, give each potato a firm punch to crack it open without smashing it completely. The Portuguese call these batatas a murro. Punched potatoes. The cracks will drink the oil later. Keep them warm while you finish the fish.
Wrap your hand in a kitchen towel if the potatoes are too hot. But work quickly. They should stay warm. - 4
Roast the bacalhau
While potatoes rest, increase oven to 220°C (425°F). Place the cod portions skin-side down on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Brush the tops generously with olive oil. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is golden and the fish flakes easily but isn't dried out. The cod should look burnished, almost caramelized at the edges.
- 5
Make the garlic oil
While the cod roasts, prepare the lagareiro oil. In a small saucepan, combine the cup of olive oil with all the peeled garlic cloves. Warm over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes. The garlic should become soft and golden, perfuming the oil without burning. The oil should be hot but not smoking. You'll hear it sizzle when it hits the fish. That's what you want.
This is where you use your best oil. Azeite from Alentejo or Trás-os-Montes if you can find it. You'll taste every drop. - 6
Assemble and serve
Arrange the punched potatoes on a large warm platter. Nestle the roasted cod portions among them. Now the moment of truth: pour the hot garlic oil over everything. All of it. Don't be shy. The oil should pool on the plate. The potatoes should drink it through their cracks. The cod should glisten. Scatter the soft garlic cloves around the platter. Finish with parsley and black pepper. Olives on the side if you like them. Serve immediately with good bread to soak up what remains.
Chef Tips
- •The oil quantity looks excessive. It isn't. This dish is named after olive oil makers for a reason. If your plate doesn't have a pool of golden azeite at the end, you haven't made lagareiro. You've made something else.
- •Choose the thickest cuts of bacalhau you can find, from the loin section near the backbone. Thin pieces from the tail will overcook before they develop that golden crust.
- •Some cooks in Beira add a splash of white wine to the garlic oil. Some in the Alentejo add a dried bay leaf. Both are acceptable. Avó Leonor added nothing. The oil speaks for itself.
- •Leftovers are rare, but if you have them: shred the cold cod, mix with the potatoes and remaining oil, and fry it all together for breakfast. Waste nothing.
Advance Preparation
- •The bacalhau must soak for 2 full days, with water changed at least 3 times. This is not negotiable. Plan accordingly.
- •The potatoes can be roasted an hour ahead and kept warm, loosely covered. Punch them just before serving.
- •The garlic oil must be made fresh and poured hot over the fish. This cannot be done ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 600g)
Calories
860 calories
Total Fat
41 g
Saturated Fat
6 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
34 g
Cholesterol
220 mg
Sodium
2300 mg
Total Carbohydrates
47 g
Dietary Fiber
6 g
Sugars
2 g
Protein
78 g
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