Easter Bacalhau with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potato

Elegant yet unpretentious — this Easter bacalhau proves that even the simplest things can be extraordinary. The humble mashed potato gains an incredible depth of flavor from roasted garlic, while the cod bakes to perfection in olive oil. A showstopper that’s easier than it looks.

Servings: 2 | Prep: 20 min | Cook: 50 min | Total: ~1h10 + overnight thaw

Ingredients

• 2 bacalhau fillets (salted cod), desalted and thawed
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 3 whole garlic heads
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 pinch of nutmeg
• Chef Pinto’s paprika blend (3/6 smoked, 1/6 hot, 1/6 sweet), to taste
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. The night before: transfer the bacalhau fillets from the freezer to the fridge to thaw slowly overnight. This is always the best way — slow thawing keeps the texture perfect.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Cut just the very tip off each garlic head to expose the cloves. Place the garlic heads in a baking dish and put them in the oven while it preheats — they’ll start roasting right away and will become sweeter and more fragrant the longer they cook.
3. Rinse the thawed bacalhau fillets under cold running water. Transfer to a medium saucepan, cover with the milk, and bring to medium heat. Once it boils, reduce to low heat and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the fillets with a slotted spoon and transfer to the baking dish with the garlic. Reserve the milk — it’s full of flavor and you’ll need it for the mash.
4. Drizzle the cod fillets with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and Chef Pinto’s paprika blend. Return the baking dish to the oven and roast for 30 more minutes, until the cod is golden and slightly caramelized at the edges.
5. While the cod roasts, place the potato chunks in a saucepan, cover with cold water, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce to medium heat and cook for 20 minutes until completely tender.
6. Drain the potatoes and pass them immediately through a potato ricer or food mill back into the same saucepan — never use a blender or the mash will turn gluey. Remove 1 head of roasted garlic from the oven, separate the cloves, and press each one with a spoon to squeeze out the soft, fragrant pulp. Pass the garlic through the ricer too and combine with the potatoes.
7. Warm the reserved milk and gradually add it to the potato and garlic mixture, stirring vigorously with a whisk until smooth and creamy. Return the pan to medium heat, season with salt and a good pinch of nutmeg. Add the butter and stir vigorously until the mash starts to bubble. It should be silky, rich, and deeply fragrant.
8. Remove the cod from the oven. Serve the fillets over the garlic mashed potato, with the remaining roasted garlic heads on the side — guests can squeeze the soft cloves over their plates. A final drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of Chef Pinto’s paprika blend finishes the dish beautifully.

Chef Pinto’s Tips

• Always thaw the bacalhau in the fridge the night before — never at room temperature.
• The roasted garlic is the soul of this dish. Don’t rush it — let it roast slowly until completely soft and golden. The longer it roasts, the sweeter and more fragrant it becomes.
• Use the reserved milk to make the mashed potato — it carries all the flavor from the cod and makes the puree incredibly rich.
• The paprika blend adds a beautiful smoky depth to the cod. Don’t be shy with it.
• This dish is perfect for Easter Sunday — elegant enough to impress, simple enough to actually enjoy cooking it.