Cod is king in Portugal at Christmas

Salt cod has long been a national staple in Portugal, where it is said there are as many recipes for this humble fish as there are days in the year.

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And at Christmas the dried and salted fish is central to meals at family gatherings in Portugal, the world's biggest consumer of bacalhau as it is called here, just as turkey is at Thanksgiving in the United States.

The most traditional way to prepare salt cod is to bake it in the oven and serve it with boiled potatoes.

But it can also be grilled, turned into fritters or even used to replace meat in a lasagna.

"When I'm asked to come up with a menu for Christmas, I am bound to suggest a salt cod recipe," said chef Ricardo Simoes of the Federico restaurant located at a luxury hotel in central Lisbon.