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This page is about the Portuguese dish called Bacalhau, for the semi-legendaric island somtimes called Bacalhau, see Bacalao.
Bacalhau means codfish in Portuguese (also known by the Spanish term bacalao). It almost always refers to dry, salted codfish; the fresh fish is rarely consumed in Portugal. Bacalhau is a staple-food in Portugal, common throughout the country. It used to be consumed by the rich only, as it always has to be imported (see cod trade). With lower transportation costs and higher supply it has now become much more accessible and has thus become widely popular. On Christmas Eve it is typically served in Portuguese homes.
Bacalhau usually comes from Newfoundland or Norway. There are numerous variations of the recipe of this dish, depending on region and tradition. It is said there are more than 365 ways to cook bacalhau, one for every day of the year.
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