Soup with cod and cilantro, recipe from Portugal (Açorda à alentejana)

The cod and cilantro soup, “ açorda à alentejana ", It is a traditional soup of the Portuguese region of the Alentejo. It is a soup that is made with bread from the day before or hard bread, cod, cilantro and poached eggs.

The cod in its salty version it is one of the star fish to elaborate different menus in times of Lent and Holy Week. Although it is true that it can be enjoyed practically all year round.

It is a fish that is consumed enough throughout the year although it is at these dates when it is most demanded.

Before preparing this recipe we must put the soaking cod in water at least 2 or 3 days before to desalt it, making the water changes every 8 hours and always keeping it between one change and another in the fridge, until the time of cooking.

Cod and cilantro soup recipe

Ingredients:

  • 800 grams of desalted cod with skin and bones.
  • 2 liters of water to cook the cod.
  • About 300 grams of bread the day before or hard bread.
  • 2 garlic cloves without skin and slices.
  • A bunch of minced coriander.
  • 4 eggs
  • 100 ml. of extra virgin olive oil.
  • Salt (optional).

Elaboration:

  1. We put the water to heat the fire and when it boils we put the cod inside, we blanch it for about 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and keep the cod in the water for 45 minutes.
  2. Wash the bunch of cilantro and chop it lightly. Next we put the minced coriander in a mortar and the two cloves of garlic. Crush well until it is pasty. When we add the virgin olive oil, stir to mix well and reserve.
  3. We remove the cod from the water and remove the skin and thorns, reserving the water to make a broth. Crumble into pieces (crumble) the cod and reserve it. We put the water back into the fire along with the spines and the skin of the cod and cook for half an hour.
  4. While we are chopping the bread. In a bowl we put the cilantro sauce that we had reserved and we added the sliced ​​bread.
  5. We remove to mix well the bread with the cilantro. We put the stock of cod and throw the eggs to poach them, with a minute will be enough.
  6. Carefully take out the poached eggs and reserve them on a plate. We will try the broth in case it was necessary to add some salt.
  7. We put the cod stock on the bread that we leave taking the flavor of the crushed. Let stand for about five minutes and stir. Next we add the crumbled cod.

We will present the cod soup in bowls or individual deep plates with a poached egg and some olives on top.

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Portugal with Rich Earl | Rick Steves Travel Talks (April 2024)