Bacalhau Com Natas

In Portugal there is a large tradition of making  codfish in several ways and this is one of the  the most delicious and sinful way of eating this wonderful fish.  This specialty, browned in the oven, consists of layers of cod, onion, cubes fries, béchamel sauce and cream. A wonderful, savory, delightful codfish dish to serve at your table during the upcoming festivities [one month till Xmas already!] or tomorrow, for a warming Thankgsgiving meal with your family/ friends.

Ingredients:

• 4 slices unsalted codfish
• 1 kg potatoes
•  1 dl olive oil
•  2 medium onions
•  4 cloves garlic
•  grated cheese

Bechamel Sauce:

• 70gr butter 
• 70gr of corn starch
• 275ml milk
• 275ml of boiling water cod
• 200ml cream 
• Salt qs 
• pepper qs
• Nutmeg qs

Place the cod in a baking pan with water for 10 minutes. Once cooked, remove the cod to a plate and let cool. Reserve 275 ml of the water used to cook the codfish. Clean the cod from skins and bones and shred it. In a  pan, let the butter heat.Add the flour and stir very well.Mixing always, slowly add the water from the previously bakek cod, 275 ml of milk and when it begins to thicken add the cream.Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.As soon as it starts to bubble, turn off the heat. Peel off the potatoes, wash them, cut them into small cubes and fry them in hot oil, but not completely. After fried, drain them well and place them on paper towels to remove their excess fat. Season with salt.Slice the onions  and fry them in olive oil with chopped garlic until translucent. Add the shredded codfish, let it cook some more, and then mix the potatoes and wrap them in mixture. Add 2/3 of the béchamel in the mix of cod and potatoes, and arrange the mixture in a glass baking tray, greased with butter. Cover the surface with the remaining sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese and take to the oven until golden brown.

Ingredientes:

• 4 postas bacalhau demolhado
• 1k g batatas
• 1 dl azeite
• 2  cebolas médias
• 4 dentes alho
• queijo ralado

Molho Béchamel:

• 70g de manteiga 
• 70g de amido de milho
• 275 ml de leite
• 275 ml de água de cozer o bacalhau
• 200 ml de natas
• Sal q.b.
• Pimenta q.b.
• Noz-moscada q.b.

Coloque o bacalhau a cozer numa panela com água durante 10 minutos. Depois de cozido, retire o bacalhau para um prato e deixe arrefecer. Reserve 275 ml da água da cozedura.Limpe o bacalhau de peles e de espinhas e desfie.Num tacho, leve ao lume a manteiga e deixe aquecer.Junte a farinha e mexa muito bem.Mexendo sempre, junte aos poucos a água de cozer o bacalhau, os 275 ml de leite e quando começar a engrossar junte as natas.Tempere com sal, pimenta e noz-moscada.Logo que comece a borbulhar, apague o lume.Descasque as batatas, lave-as, corte-as em pequenos cubos e frite-as em óleo quente, sem deixar alourar. Depois de fritas, escorra-as bem e coloque-as sobre papel absorvente para lhes tirar o excesso de gordura. Tempere-as com sal.Corte as cebolas em meias luas finas e refogue-as em azeite, juntamente com alho picado, até ficarem translúcidas. Junte as lascas de bacalhau, deixe refogar mais um pouco, e misture depois as batatas e envolva-as no preparado.Misture 2/3 do béchamel na preparado de bacalhau e batatas, e, disponha a mistura num tabuleiro, previamente untado com manteiga. Cubra a superfície com o restante molho, polvilhe com queijo e leve ao forno até alourar bem.