Vegan Bacalao

[Second Summer]

This is a veganised dish. The original dish includes dried cod and comes from my hometown in west-coast Norway, although the dish has its origins in Portugal and Spain, and is also served in countries such as Brazil.



Ingredients
4 potatoes
1 cup of dried butter beans
2 carrots
1 red bell pepper
1 onion
4 tomatoes
black olives
10 sun-dried tomatoes
olive oil
1 large aubergine (eggplant)
4 whole dried cayenne peppers (typically comes in a small bag or spice container)
1 glass of tomato paste (about 100 ml)
1 cup of water
3 or more garlic cloves or optionally garlic powder





Instructions

1. Soak butter beans in cold water overnight (or 8 hours +, generally longer is better). Pour off water, add new water and then cook until almost done. This will take 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, wash aubergine and cut into 1 cm thick rings. Cut rings into halves. Put some of the halves into a bowl and sprinkle generously with salt. Turn halves around and sprinkle the other side. Repeat with the other halves until all halves are in the bowl. Set aside for 30+ minutes.
3. Wash and peel potatoes. Cut potatoes into approx. 1 - 0.5 cm thick slices. (Thin slices require less cooking time.)
4. Wash and peel carrots. Cut into slices.
5. Wash bell pepper. Cut into thick slices.
6. Wash tomatoes. Cut in two and remove the "navel". Cut carefully into slices so as not to waste too much juice.
7. Peel onion. Cut into rings.
8. Mix tomato paste with water.
9. Generously fill bottom of pot with olive oil. Then add some more. Heat oil (but take care not to burn). Then let it cool down.
10. Thoroughly rinse off salt from aubergines.
11. Now add the ingredients in layers into a pot. Begin with potatoes, then the rest of the ingredients. Then do a second layer of potatoes, and so on.
12. Finally pour the tomato paste water over the other ingredients. Don't pour in more liquids than maximum up to about a couple of centimeters below the top of the pot contents. If necessary, add more water to reach this level. Cook on low heat. It's all done once the potatoes are tender, which can take from 30 minutes to 1 hour. While cooking, don't stir the pot. (And don't forget to start cooking the rice as well if you are serving it with rice.)

Don't be too rigid about the measurements. And if there's some ingredient you don't like or don't have, it might not be a big deal if you just skip it. Use common sense.

Serve with brown rice, red rice (make sure it's vegan!) or home baked wholemeal bread. In Norway the Bacalao is traditionally served with thin wafer crispbread. (Look for the brand Kavli for the authentic experience.)

 

[beanstew]

That sounds pretty good. I'll give it a go!

 

[Mel]

Might be trying this soon, seem simple and hearty.

 

[Mel]

A question. What do you do with the cayenne peppers? Slice? Dice? Throw them out the window? I don't see a mention on how to prep them (unless I'm blind).

 

[Second Summer]

No prepping necessary, just throw them in with the rest of the ingredients. I guess I should have specified that these are little, dried cayenne peppers that you typically get in a little paper bag or container. (Will edit it to say this.)

When eating this dish, there is always a lot of fun whenever someone accidentally swallows a whole cayenne pepper. Better have a big glass of water ready next to you

 

[Mel]

No prepping necessary, just throw them in with the rest of the ingredients. I guess I should have specified that these are little, dried cayenne peppers that you typically get in a little paper bag or container. (Will edit it to say this.)

When eating this dish, there is always a lot of fun whenever someone accidentally swallows a whole cayenne pepper. Better have a big glass of water ready next to you

Ok then, thanks!

Might skip the peppers in that case...lol

I know, I'm a wuss when it comes to spiciness. My hubby says I won't survive Britain because of this trait of mine.

 

[sallyomally]

Sounds delicious. Adding this to the make soon list!

 

[Second Summer]

When eating this dish, there is always a lot of fun whenever someone accidentally swallows a whole cayenne pepper. Better have a big glass of water ready next to you

Although Jen says, and is maybe correct, that a big piece of bread is a better medicine for this kind of problem.

 

[Envy]

Or something with fat in it.

 

[Tom L.]

Although Jen says, and is maybe correct, that a big piece of bread is a better medicine for this kind of problem.

I've heard that too. Drinking water when you've just swallowed something too spicy-hot is almost like throwing water on a gasoline or oil fire- it just spreads it. But bread seems to help. Envy's suggestion sounds like it might work too.

I wonder why you heat the oil by itself and let it cool down before you add the vegetables and other stuff, though?...