Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large pot for chickpeas
• •Wide shallow pot for poaching cod
• •Large serving platter

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the chickpeas

   If using dried chickpeas, drain them from their soaking water and place in a large pot. Cover with fresh cold water by at least 8 centimeters. Add one of the smashed garlic cloves and one bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook until completely tender, about 1 to 1.5 hours. The chickpeas should be creamy inside, not chalky. Add salt only in the last 10 minutes of cooking.

   Salting too early toughens the skins. Avó Leonor was strict about this. Salt at the end, always.
2. 2

   Poach the bacalhau

   While the chickpeas cook, prepare the cod. Drain it from its soaking water and place in a wide pot. Cover with fresh cold water and add the remaining garlic and bay leaf. Bring slowly to just below a simmer over medium heat. You want to see tiny bubbles on the bottom of the pot, nothing more. The moment you see movement in the water, reduce the heat to low. Poach gently for 15 to 20 minutes until the fish flakes easily.

   Never boil bacalhau. Never. Boiling turns it tough and stringy. You want heat so gentle you question if anything is happening. That's the right heat.
3. 3

   Cook potatoes and eggs

   If using potatoes, peel and cut them into large chunks. Boil in salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. In a separate pot, hard-boil the eggs for 10 minutes, then cool under running water and peel. Slice the eggs into halves or quarters.

4. 4

   Flake the cod

   Carefully lift the cod from the poaching liquid and let it cool slightly on a cutting board. Remove any skin and bones. Flake the fish into large, generous pieces using your hands. Don't shred it fine. You want substantial chunks that hold their shape on the plate. The texture should be moist and tender, not dry.

   Save the poaching liquid. It makes an incredible base for soup or rice dishes. Nothing wasted. Isto é como a avó fazia.
5. 5

   Make the dressing

   Whisk together the olive oil and red wine vinegar. Season with black pepper. Go easy on the salt since the cod brings its own. Taste and adjust. The dressing should be generous, almost excessive. This is not the time for restraint with azeite.

6. 6

   Assemble the platter

   Drain the chickpeas (save that liquid too) and spread them on a large serving platter while still warm. Arrange the flaked cod over the chickpeas. Tuck the potato chunks around the edges if using. Scatter the raw onion rings over everything. Drizzle the dressing generously over all of it. Let some pool on the plate. That's correct. Arrange the egg halves on top. Scatter the parsley and coentros over everything. Finish with a few olives if you like them.

7. 7

   Rest and serve

   Let the platter sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. This is not a hot dish. The chickpeas should be warm, the cod at room temperature, everything dressed and mingling. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the olive oil. Pass more azeite at the table for those who want it. They will want it.

Chef Tips

• •The soaking is everything. Two days for the cod, water changed morning and night. Taste a small piece before cooking. It should taste like mild, pleasant fish, not a salt lick. If still too salty, keep soaking.
• •Use the best olive oil you can afford. It's not a background ingredient here. It's the sauce, the star, the whole point. Azeite from Alentejo or Trás-os-Montes will transform this dish.
• •Some families serve the onion cooked soft in the dressing. Others, like mine, serve it raw and sharp. Both are traditional. I prefer raw because the crunch and bite cut through the richness of the oil.
• •Canned chickpeas work in a pinch. Drain them, warm them gently in a pot with a bay leaf, and proceed. The grandmothers would understand. They were practical above all.
• •Leftovers make the best lunch the next day. The flavors deepen overnight. Just bring to room temperature before eating and add a fresh drizzle of oil.

Advance Preparation

• •The bacalhau must soak for 2 days minimum, water changed 3 times. This is not negotiable. Plan accordingly.
• •Chickpeas should soak overnight, about 12 hours.
• •The chickpeas can be cooked a day ahead and refrigerated. Warm gently before assembling.
• •The assembled dish can rest at room temperature for up to 1 hour before serving. Don't refrigerate the finished platter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 480g)