Flight Pantry

Today is a special day! Flight Pantry turns one month old, and we couldn’t let this milestone pass without thanking all of you who have been following the blog since day one. It’s been a journey full of flavors, shared stories, and warm memories around the table. Thank you for every visit, every message, and every time you’ve tried one of our recipes!

To celebrate our first month, we’ve chosen to make a dish full of Portuguese tradition and soul: Codfish Cataplana. We first tasted this amazing meal during a trip to Lisbon, and it stayed with us — for its rich flavor, colorful presentation, and the cozy, welcoming atmosphere of that meal. We haven’t published the full Lisbon travel post yet, but it’s coming soon! Click here to check out our posts about our trip to Lisbon.

This dish brings the scent of the sea, the comfort of home cooking, and the joy of sharing. The cataplana is one of those meals that tastes even better when enjoyed with loved ones — and it turns an ordinary lunch into something special.

In this version, we combine codfish steaks, thin-sliced potatoes, tomato, garlic, and onion, all slowly cooked in the traditional cataplana pan. The result? A fragrant, juicy, and colorful dish that’s perfect for a relaxed Sunday lunch — or any day when you want to celebrate life through food.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4 medium codfish steaks (about 1 kg / 2.2 lbs), if using dried salted cod, soak it in cold water for 24–48 hours, changing the water 2–3 times, to remove the excess sal

• 150g (about 5oz) frutti di mare (mixed seafood: shrimp, mussels, squid) — fresh or frozen

• 500 g (1.1 lbs) potatoes, sliced into rounds

• 1 large onion

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 red bell pepper, sliced

• 2 ripe tomatoes or 1 small can of peeled tomatoes

• 100 ml (1/2 cup) olive oil

• 100 ml (1/2 cup) white wine

• 1 bay leaf

• Fresh parsley to taste

• Black pepper to taste

• Sweet paprika to taste

• Black olives (optional)

Preparation:

1. Prep the ingredients: Peel the potatoes and slice them into thin rounds. Cut the onion into thin half-moons, slice the red pepper, chop the tomatoes (or use canned), and finely chop the garlic. If using frozen frutti di mare, thaw and drain it well.

2. Layer the cataplana: In the bottom of the cataplana, add a generous drizzle of olive oil and layer the onion, garlic, red pepper, and tomato. Place the codfish steaks on top and arrange the potatoes around them. Add the frutti di mare on top or nestle it between the cod and vegetables.

3. Season: Codfish is naturally salty, so you likely won’t need extra salt. Add black pepper, sweet paprika, and the bay leaf. Pour in the white wine and another drizzle of olive oil over the top.

4. Cook: Close the cataplana tightly and cook over medium heat for about 30 to 35 minutes, allowing the ingredients to gently steam and infuse. If using delicate seafood like mussels or shrimp, you can open the cataplana briefly after 20 minutes and add them at the end to avoid overcooking.

5. Serve: Carefully open the cataplana (the steam will be hot!), sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, and add black olives if you like. Serve straight from the cataplana to the table for a beautiful and rustic presentation.

Liked the recipe?

Have you ever tried codfish before? Let us know in the comments — we’d love to hear your thoughts!