In brief
- Bacalao guisado: a Caribbean stew of desalted salt cod, simmered with tomato and vegetables.
- Origin: Spanish-speaking Caribbean, a traditional Lenten dish in the Dominican Republic, also common in Puerto Rico.
- Essential ingredients: dried salt cod, potatoes, tomato, bell pepper, olives.
- Served as a family dish, with white rice and sometimes avocado.
Origins and cultural history of bacalao guisado
Bacalao guisado pairs salt cod, introduced to the Spanish-speaking Caribbean during the era of Spanish colonisation, with local vegetables simmered in tomato. In the Dominican Republic, it is among the traditional Lenten dishes, but is eaten all year round; it is just as common in Puerto Rico.
Depending on the family and the country, it is prepared entirely in a single pot, with the potatoes included in the sauce, or the desalted cod is served over root vegetables boiled separately, with simpler seasoning.
What are the essential ingredients of bacalao guisado
Bacalao guisado is prepared with desalted cod, simmered with vegetables and a tomato base, until the sauce thickens and the fish flakes apart.
- dried salt cod, desalted
- potatoes
- onion
- garlic
- bell peppers
- tomato paste or sauce
- green olives
What to know about bacalao guisado
Bacalao guisado is a Caribbean stew of dried salt cod, soaked to remove the salt and then simmered with potatoes, onion, garlic, peppers, green olives and a tomato base, until the sauce thickens and the fish flakes apart. It is common in the Dominican Republic, where it is a traditional Lenten dish eaten all year round, and in Puerto Rico. It is served as a family dish, with white rice and sometimes avocado.
Frequently asked questions about bacalao guisado
Do you need to desalt the cod before cooking it?
Yes: salt cod is rinsed and then soaked in cold water, in the fridge, for 12 to 24 hours depending on the thickness of the pieces, changing the water three or four times. A quicker, less thorough method is to boil it for 20 minutes in fresh water, after an initial 30 minute soak: taste a piece before salting the dish.
Is bacalao guisado the same dish in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic?
The principle stays the same: cod simmered with tomato, onion, pepper and olives. The Puerto Rican version often cooks the potatoes directly in the sauce with a spiced sofrito, while the Dominican version sometimes serves the cod over root vegetables boiled separately, with simpler seasoning.
Where can you find the ingredients for bacalao guisado in France?
NKOSI sells the garlic paste, onion powder, tomato paste and dried coriander from this recipe, and ships them from the Paris area within 24 to 72 working hours, to mainland France (2 to 3 working days) and to ten European countries. The minimum order is 39 €: in France, delivery to a pickup point is then free, and home delivery is free from 69 €.
