How to make Leandro Carreira's Salt cod with cabbage, egg and olive oil

Leandro Carreira

Portugal

Salted cod during the festive period is a big thing in Portugal, though the garnishes vary depending on where you are in the country. My grandparents always used to serve it at their farm, then my parents took over the tradition. Now we’ll be serving a variation of it around the Christmas period at Londrino in Bermondsey. In the middle ages in Portugal people used to fast, not feast, during religious holidays. Meat would only be eaten on Christmas day, though many would opt for cod or other fish around Portugal’s coastlines as it was cheaper and in abundance.

Salt cod with cabbage, egg and olive oil

Serves 2

4 medium-sized potatoes, peeled

Leaves of half a savoy cabbage

2 large eggs

350g salt cod, rehydrated and desalinated

2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

120ml extra virgin olive oil

Black pepper, to serve

Fill a large pot with cold water, add the potatoes and bring to the boil. Just before the potatoes are cooked, add the cabbage leaves and cook until al dente. In a separate pan, boil the eggs for eight minutes. Dunk in room temperature water and peel.

Remove the potato and cabbage from the first pan and poach the cod in the remaining water until the flesh breaks down from the bones. Add the vegetables back into the pan to heat up, then divide between two plates. Top with the sliced garlic, lavish amounts of olive oil and pepper.