A delicious must-try vegetarian version of the classic portuguese dish
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Total Time25 minutesmins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Portuguese
Keyword: Gluten-free, vegetarian
Servings: 4
Author: Hellen | VivaHappy.com
Ingredients
2tbspolive oil
1onionlarge, cut in half and then sliced thin
1bay leaf
3clovesgarlicminced
400gleeks(about 1 lb) sliced, soaked in cold water and cleaned
1zucchini(about 200g or ½ lb) medium, cut in quarters lengthwise and sliced
6eggslarge
2tbspmilkor water
300gfried potato sticks(about ¾ lb)
salt and pepperto taste
¼cupparsleyfresh, chopped, for serving
olivesblack or green, for serving
Instructions
Cut leeks lengthwise and then slice into half-moons (white and light green part only). Add to a bowl with cold water and move around to separate and clean. Let it rest so any grit/dirt goes to the bottom. Prep onions, garlic, and slice zucchini into thin half-moons as well.
In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onions with the bay leaf until softened. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Gather the leeks from the bowl without reaching the dirt on the bottom. Add the leeks and zucchini to the pan. Cook, stirring often until the vegetables are cooked but still a bit firm. Season with salt & pepper.
Meanwhile, beat the eggs with the milk (or water) until well combined, season and reserve.
Remove the bay leaf. Add 1/2 of the potato sticks to the vegetables and mix gently to moisten.
Lower the heat, add the egg mixture to the pan and let it cook slowly, folding it gently into the vegetables. Do not overcook it!
Once the eggs have started to set but are still soft and creamy, turn off the heat, add most of the remaining potato sticks, and mix. These potatoes should remain a bit crispy. If you'd like, reserve some potato sticks for serving.
Serve topped with the reserved potato sticks, parsley, and a drizzle of olive oil. Decorate with olives.
Video
Notes
This recipe is a vegetarian version of the famous Portuguese dish Bacalhau a Brás (Cod with Potatoes and Eggs).
If you like the eggs extra creamy, turn off the heat before adding the eggs and proceed with the steps. The residual heat in the pan will be enough to gently cook the eggs.
For this recipe, I used leeks and zucchini, but other combinations of favourite veggies (or what's on hand) would work as well - like shredded carrots, sliced green beans, fresh mushrooms, etc. In any case, I really recommend using leeks in the mix, as I find that they mimic the texture of the original cod dish a bit.