Codfish Christmas in Portugal

By Emily De Sousa

Like any kid, I was always anxious for Christmas Eve to arrive. But my eagerness wasn’t about Santa and presents, rather it was about the food. On December 24, Portuguese households all around the world sit down to enjoy Christmas dinner, or “Ceia de Natal,” after attending Midnight Mass (Missa do Galo). Even as kids, we were allowed to stay up past our bed times to enjoy bacalhau (codfish). Codfish is a staple in Portuguese households dating back to the 14th century. Tradition says there are over 365 ways to make bacalhau—one for each day of the year. But on Christmas Eve, we eat bacalhau de consoada, or codfish served with eggs, potatoes, and cabbage.

After licking our plates clean, Avo (grandma) cut us all a piece of dessert. Bolo Rei, is a traditional Portuguese fruitcake. Of course, it was never popular among the kids. Not for its taste, anyway. The Bolo Rei game is what got us excited. Bolo Rei contains small toy, like surprises inside. One of the surprises decides who’s responsible for purchasing next year’s fruitcake, so it’s always a game of roulette to make sure the surprise doesn’t end up on your plate!

• 2 pounds of codfish filets • 1.5 pounds of potatoes, boiled in their skins and peeled while hot • 2 bunches of collard greens • 12 hard-boiled eggs, sliced in half • 4 tablespoons of olive oil • 4 cloves of garlic, minced • 4 tablespoons of wine vinegar (or less, to taste)

Directions

1) Rinse the cod under cold running water. Place the fish pieces in a large pot, cover with water and soak for 24 hours, changing the water regularly.

2) Once done, pour out the water, and refill with enough boiling water to cover the fish by several inches.

3) Add the collard greens and potatoes to this pot as well. Cook on medium to high heat until the fish is well cooked and the potatoes are done.

4) Once done, drain the liquid, and remove any bits of skin or bone from the cod.

5) For making the sauce, saute the olive oil and garlic in a saucepan on medium heat. Once the garlic has slightly browned, remove from the heat, add the vinegar, mix well and serve in a small bowl.

Place the sliced eggs alongside the bacalhau, collard greens, and potatoes on a platter alongside the sauce and serve.