Discovered by the Vikings, who captured it abundantly in the cold seas of the Nordic countries, codfish has been considered “the bread of tides” in Portugal, and is now known as its “faithful friend”.
The long and curious relationship of this seafaring nation with a dried fish that isn’t captured along its own coast starts in the 14th century, after commercial treaties with England which predicted the exchange of salt for codfish.
In the mid-1500s, during the Portuguese discoveries, an expedition headed to India discovered Newfoundland. And so began Portuguese cod fishing.
Portuguese fishermen were eventually driven out by English and French corsairs, who dominated fishing activities in the region.
For centuries this fish was a food exclusive to the royal house and aristocracy, only spreading to the interior of Portugal in the 19th century due to ease of conservation and transport.
On the 9th of July 1920, the Companhia Portuguesa de Pesca (Portuguese Fishing Company) is founded by four small shipowners from the trawling trade, each of them owning a single vessel. Setting up headquarters in the old facilities of the Fábrica de Algodão da Companhia Lisbonense (“Lisbon Company Cotton Factory”), former São Paulo Convent, in Olho de Boi, Almada, the company appeared in the context of an expanding canning and fishing industry.
However, exponential growth of codfish consumption begins with the Estado Novo.
Up to that point Portugal imported most of the codfish it consumed. Portuguese fishing companies didn’t work efficiently, and the sector was disorganized, irregular and lacked investment. All while the population went hungry.
To reduce foreign dependency and guarantee the country’s food supply, Salazar centralizes the organization of fishing activities in the State, encourages the creation of cooperatives and cartelizes supply. This is how the famous Codfish Campaign begins in 1934, aiming to turn this fish into Portugal´s staple food.
Sailing from Belém, Lisbon, the cod fishing ships were luggers, sailing ships and motor-ships, which towed dories, small wooden boats used for line fishing, and had the capacity to carry between 900 and 950 tons of cod.
This type of fishing was a hard and dangerous job. Fishermen had to face wind and swell, the risk of hitting an iceberg and frequent fog. Many didn´t make it back to the cod fishing ships and died at sea. The transition to trawling with modern boats was tardy and slow, which eventually led to the sector’s demise.
During World War II, Portugal maintained its fishing activity. When crossing the Atlantic Ocean, two cod fishing ships, “Maria de Gloria” and “Delães” were sunk by Nazi submarines. An agreement with the Allies would determine that these Portuguese cod fishing ships be painted white to signal Portugal´s neutrality in the conflict and allow them to safely sail the Atlantic, thus becoming known as the “White Fleet”.
The “Creoula”, launched in the Tagus river on the 10th of May 1937, was used until 1973 in cod fishing campaigns off Newfoundland and Greenland, and set a sailing track record equivalent to more than 20 round-the-world trips. Currently used as an instruction ship by the Portuguese Navy, it is one of the fleet’s last survivors, alongside “Santa Maria Manuela”, “Argus” and “Gazela”.
After the conflict, cod fishing became an emblem for the corporate system. In 1957, Portugal is already the largest salt codfish producer in the world, and the import substitution level reaches nearly 80%. By this time, wheat and codfish were the commodities with the greatest impact on both the country’s diet and its trade balance.
Historically, the codfish curing process started on board the cod fishing ships, where it was salted immediately. After reaching land, the fish was washed to remove all the salt and dried until dehydrated. The codfish drying process took place outdoors in the Algarve, on the South Bank of the Tagus, in Setúbal, Figueira da Foz, Aveiro and Viana do Castelo. It was generally a job performed by women.
With an area of 360 hectares, the Samouco Salt Pans in Alcochete were the main saline farming centre in the Lisbon region between the 1930s and 1970s. The salt left there in boats destined for cod salting in distant Newfoundland or warehouses in Cais do Sodré, which supplied the capital city.
The Sociedade Nacional de Armadores de Bacalhau (National Society of Codfish Shipowners) was one of the three factories in Alcochete where codfish was dried and prepared. Today only the building remains, right at the entrance of the complex.
1974 was the last year a Portuguese cod fishing fleet set sail for Newfoundland, coinciding with the fall of the dictatorship in Portugal.
Nevertheless, we still love codfish today and it is said we have 1001 ways of cooking it. Presently, 70% of codfish comes from Norway and the Portuguese are responsible for consuming 20% of the global catch, always taking sustainable consumption, climatic change and gastronomic versatility into consideration.
La historia de este nuestro “fiel amigo” tiene muchos siglos y es contada en el Centro Interpretativo de la Historia del Bacalao, en una exposición envolvente que alía tecnología y archivos históricos, instalaciones a gran escala, artefactos y testimonios reales en vídeo. Asimismo, este espacio de homenaje al bacalao permite el disfrute de una selección de los mejores productos de bacalao en la tienda Terra Nova Mercearia, y de un viaje de sabores donde el bacalao es rey en el Terra Nova Restaurante by Populi.
La navegación por mares gastronómicos nos lleva aún hasta el Restaurante D' Bacalhau para una degustación de los más tradicionales manjares confeccionados con este pescado.
Es imposible mencionar la conexión entre Lisboa y este alimento sin pasar por la Rua dos Bacalhoeiros, que así fue bautizada tras la transferencia de los comerciantes de bacalao a esta calle después del terremoto de 1755.
En la lisboeta Rua do Arsenal, que corre paralela al Tajo entre Cais do Sodré y Terreiro do Paço, las tiendas de ultramarinos Rei Do Bacalhau y Pérola do Arsenal tienen como producto rey el bacalao y forman parte de la historia de la ciudad. Son las dos últimas resistentes en esta arteria donde el fiel amigo ya fue vendido en ocho establecimientos.
La Manteigaria Silva es otra de las perlas del comercio tradicional lisboeta y la más antigua bacalhoaria (tienda especializada en bacalao) de Lisboa, conservando hasta nuestros días muchos de los elementos arquitectónicos de la época de su fundación.
Cada una de estas tiendas de ultramarinos ostenta con orgullo un bacalao de calidad superior, el cual es vendido por peso, cortado a mano al momento y envuelto en papel kraft y cordel , como dicta la tradición.
Queda por ser explicada la razón por la que partimos de nuestras vastas costas y viajamos hasta el fin del mundo, hacia los mares más inhóspitos donde innúmeras generaciones de portugueses arriesgaron y perdieron su vida en busca de este pescado, el cual constituye hoy un símbolo de la gastronomía, de la cultura y de la historia de Portugal.
Recordemos, a modo de despedida, las palabras de Eça de Queiroz: “Mis novelas son, en el fondo, francesas, de la misma forma que yo soy, en casi todo, un francés – excepto en un cierto fondo sincero de tristeza lírica, que es una característica portuguesa, en un gusto depravado por el fado, y en el justo amor por el bacalhau de cebolada” (Bacalao con cebolla).
The centuries long story of our “faithful friend” is told at the Codfish History Interpretation Centre, in an immersive exhibition where technology is allied to historical archives, large scale installations, artefacts and real video testimonials. In this place of homage to bacalhau you can also enjoy a selection of some of the best codfish products at the Terra Nova Mercearia, and experience a journey of flavours at Terra Nova Restaurante by Populi, where codfish is king.
Navigating through gastronomic seas, we finally arrive at Restaurante D' Bacalhau for a tasting which includes some of the most traditional delicacies made with this fish.
It is also impossible to mention the connection between Lisbon and codfish without walking by Rua dos Bacalhoeiros, which was named as such shortly after the 1755 earthquake, when codfish traders were transferred to the area.
On Lisbon’s Rua do Arsenal, which runs parallel to the Tagus and between Cais do Sodré and Terreiro do Paço, grocery stores Rei Do Bacalhau and Pérola do Arsenal display codfish as their king product, playing an important role in the city’s history. The two strongholds of this city artery, where our “faithful friend” has already been sold out in eight different locations.
Manteigaria Silva is another pearl of Lisbon´s traditional retail, and one the oldest bacalhoarias (codfish shops), still conserving many architectural elements from the time of its foundation.
Each one of these grocery stores proudly exhibits superior quality codfish, sold by weight, cut manually on request and wrapped with brown paper and string, as the tradition demands.
It is still to be explained why we left our vast coastline and travelled to the end of the world, to the most inhospitable seas, where countless generations of Portuguese men risked and lost their lives in search of this fish. But today it is a symbol of Portugal’s gastronomy, culture and history.
Before setting off, let us revisit the words of Eça de Queiroz: “Deep down my novels are French, just as I am, in almost everything, a Frenchman – apart from a certain sincere depth of lyrical sadness that is of Portuguese nature, a depraved taste for Fado, and a righteous love for bacalhau de cebolada” (Codfish with onions).
1 – Bacalhau à Brás
Considerado el plato de bacalao para principiantes, una especie de fish and chips reinterpretado. El bacalao es desmenuzado y sofrito con patata paja, cebolla y huevo revuelto. Las aceitunas negras y el perejil picado son a este plato lo que la guinda al pastel. ¡Es, quizás, el plato de bacalao más popular!
2 – Bacalhau com Natas (Bacalao con Natas)
Una exquisita mezcla de natas y de deliciosa salsa bechamel envuelve el bacalao en una cremosa combinación de un sofrito de patatas y cebolla. ¡Hay aún quien no resista a un topping de queso gratinado!
3 – Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá
Esta receta de autor ha sido creada en el norte por José Luís Gomes de Sá. Consiste en pequeñas lonchas, previamente ablandadas con leche y acompañadas por huevo duro, aceitunas negras y perejil.
4 – Pataniscas de Bacalhau (Bacalao Rebozado)
Esta irresistible tapa puede servir de estrella como entrante o, en su versión clásica, servidas al plato con un suculento y caldoso arroz con alubias. Las pataniscas son hechas con trozos de bacalao rebozados en una mezcla de harina de trigo y huevo, con un aderezo de sal, pimienta y perejil, y finalmente fritas.
5 – Bacalhau à Lagareiro (Bacalao con Aceite de Oliva)
De la almazara a una fuente bien aliñada, un bacalao para quien no puede vivir sin aceite de oliva. Sumergido en oro líquido y abrazado por grelos y patatas asadas con ajo crudo como condimento final, este es un plato que nunca se cansa de ir a la mesa.
6 – Bacalhau à Zé do Pipo
Más una receta de bacalao con firma de autor. Una deliciosa mezcla de mayonesa, puré de patatas, pimiento rojo, laurel y aceitunas. Fue degustado por primera vez en 1940 y desde entonces forma parte del expolio de las más deseadas recetas de bacalao.
7 – Bacalhau de Cebolada (Bacalao con Cebolla)
En este plato típico, las tajadas de bacalao son rebozadas en harina y huevo antes de ser fritas. Se añade bastante cebolla cortada en rodajas, un pimento en tiras y ajo. Se condimenta con pimienta, pimentón, hojas de laurel, sal y pulpa de tomate. Se dispone en una fuente una camada de patatas fritas en rodajas, el bacalao encima y, finalmente, se cubre con el sofrito de cebolla a modo de salsa. ¡Una exquisitez!
8 – Bacalhau Assado (Bacalao Asado)
El bacalao en su forma más pura, para aquellos a quienes no les gustan las invenciones ni los artificios. Ya sea a la brasa o al horno, este es el bacalao en serio. Debe ser servido en tajadas, con patatas asadas y aceite de oliva. ¡Así es que se quiere!
9 – Bacalhau Cozido (Bacalao Cocido)
Si hay algo cierto en las Navidades portuguesas es que este bacalao se sienta a la mesa con nosotros. El Bacalao Cocido o Acompañado es el Rey de la cena de Nochebuena. Es cocido junto con huevos, garbanzos, repollo y patatas. Sin olvidarnos del sagrado aceite de oliva para aliñar.
10 – Pastéis de Bacalhau (Pasteles de Bacalao)
El más famoso de todos los aperitivos que se encuentran en los cafés a la vuelta de cada esquina. Los pasteles de bacalao y patata calentitos enamoran hasta a aquellos a quienes no les gusta el pescado. ¡Pero hay quien diga que nuestro bacalao, por ser tan especial, no es pescado, es bacalao!