Chef Luís Gaspar, of Lisbon’s Pica-Pau, makes bacalhau à Brás via a process that requires two steps that can be done several days in advance, if desired.

This recipe makes a generous serving for two people, which is about as much as a medium saucepan can accommodate. If you’d like to make more than this, feel free to increase the ingredients accordingly, but portion the final cooking step as described below to avoid overloading the pan. The recipe benefits from the aroma of freshly-ground pepper.

Serves 2

For the salt cod:

350g bone-in, skin-on salt cod loin

2 cloves garlic, smashed

2 bay leaves

For the confit onions:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large onions (around 500g total), peeled and sliced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 teaspoon salt

4 grinds of pepper

For the bacalhau à Brás:

120g packaged matchstick potatoes

4 eggs, beaten with a generous pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper

2 sprigs parsley, chopped salt (optional) pepper (optional)

4 black olives

Step One

Prepare the salt cod:

Desalinate the salt cod by soaking it for at least 24 hours, changing the water at least three times. In a small saucepan, combine the salt cod, garlic, bay leaf and enough water to cover the salt cod by a couple centimeters. Over a high heat, bring the water to just short of the boil then close the lid and remove the saucepan from the heat. Allow the mixture to sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Strain and discard the water. When the salt cod is cool enough to handle, flake the flesh, discarding the bones and skin; you should have around 200g of flaked salt cod. Set aside in the refrigerator for up to five days or proceed to the next step.

Step Two

Prepare the confit onions:

Up to five days in advance, heat the olive oil over low heat in a medium non-stick saute pan. Add the onion, garlic, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the water has emerged and evaporated, and the onions are light brown in color and sweet, around 1 hour; you should have around 150g of confit onions and oil. Set aside in the refrigerator or continue to the next step.

Step Three

Prepare the dish:

In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, heat the confit onions, stirring until warm. Add the reserved salt cod, stirring gently, until combined with the onion mixture, and warm. Add half of the potatoes, stirring gently until combined with the onion and fish mixture, and warm. Remove the saucepan from the heat, allow it to rest for 15 seconds, and add the eggs, stirring constantly to combine and to ensure that they don’t set too quickly. Add the remainder of matchstick potatoes and 3/4 of the chopped parsley, stirring to combine. Taste to adjust seasoning, adding additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed; the dish should taste pleasantly salty and rich, with a distinct aroma of pepper.

Remove the dish to a serving plate, garnish with the olives and remaining chopped parsley, and serve warm.