Top 100 Western European Fish Dishes

This simple dish is one of the most common preparations of salt cod in Portugal. It consists of baked or boiled potatoes that are partially crushed and then salted before they are topped with previously soaked cod that has been grilled or baked separately. The dish is then served doused in olive oil, and it is usually topped with sautéed onions or garlic, red peppers, black olives, or fresh parsley. The origin of the dish is typically associated with the Beira region, but nowadays it is commonly enjoyed throughout the country.Expand

Bacalhau à bras is a simple Portuguese dish consisting of cooked and shredded salt cod, fried potato strips, onions, eggs, and olives. A delicious combination of flavors and textures results in an incredibly satisfying dish that is popular throughout the country. It is usually garnished with parsley and served hot, while the potatoes are still crispy. Believed to have originated in the Lisbon quarter Bairro Alto, today bacalhau à bras is one of the most famous Portuguese salt cod dishes.Expand

Gelatinous fish heads known as kokotxas are a key ingredient for this classic Basque dish. Kokotxas usually come from the flashy cheeks (lower part of chin) of hake or cod. The dish is sometimes served in a sauce consisting of white wine, garlic, flour, and olive oil. A more traditional way of serving kokotxas is in salsa verde sauce, consisting of olive oil, flour, fish stock, garlic, and finely chopped parsley. The kokotxas are lightly fried in a clay casserole pot, then combined with the sauce. It's recommended to serve the dish with crusty bread on the side for mopping up the sauce.Expand

This classic French seafood dish is prepared with sole fillets that are lightly breaded in plain flour and pan-fried in butter. When the fish is ready, lemon juice is added to the pan and cooked shortly until all of the flavors are combined. The fish is typically seasoned with salt, pepper, and chopped parsley. Even though fillets are usually employed in the dish, some like to use the whole fish, which is then traditionally filleted tableside in front of the guests. In traditional cuisine, the name meunière refers to the technique of cooking ingredients in brown butter and lemon juice or lightly coating the ingredients in flour before frying. In French, meunière refers to the miller’s wife, referring to the fact that flour is used to dust the fish. This traditional French dish rose to worldwide fame when the renowned cookbook author Julia Child first mentioned it in her bestselling book. Sole meunière is usually served with mashed or boiled potatoes on the side.Expand

This complex Portuguese dish consists of salt cod fillets that are slowly cooked in milk, then topped with sautéed onions and a crumbly mixture of Portuguese cornmeal bread (broa), garlic, parsley, egg yolks, and olive oil. During baking, the broa mixture keeps the fish moist and succulent and transforms into a crisp golden crust. The whole combination is usually topped with olives and a drizzle of olive oil. The dish is best served alongside potatoes and a glass of Portuguese red wine.Expand

Bacalhau com natas is one of the most famous Portuguese dishes made with salted cod. The dish is a combination of soaked or boiled cod topped with diced fried potatoes, generously doused with cream and baked until golden brown in color. Since it is extremely popular, it appears in numerous versions. The dish often incorporates onions, béchamel sauce instead of cream, cheese, white wine, and a variety of spices. A staple restaurant dish, bacalhau com natas is also an indispensable part of Portuguese Christmas tradition.Expand

Espetos is a Spanish tradition of grilling sardines, dating back to the late 19th century, when fishermen skewered and grilled surplus fish in small boats on the sand. The modern method usually involves placing 6 sardines on a skewer, seasoning them with sea salt, then grilling them over the open flames of an olive wood fire. Once the sardines are fully cooked and become golden on the outside, they are drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice. It's said that the sardines are best from May to August, when they are a bit fattier, which increases their great flavor. In many beach bars of Malaga, espetos are paired with soft drinks, beer, sangria, or Tinto de verano red wine.Expand

Cod-based dishes are a Portuguese staple, and it is often suggested that there are more than one thousand recipes in which dried and salted cod is the star ingredient. This includes simple, everyday dishes, as well as more elaborate versions that are usually served on special occasions, including Christmas Eve and Good Friday. Interestingly, cod is traditionally not caught off the Portuguese coast, but it became a prominent ingredient in the traditional cuisine during the exploration era because it could be stored for longer periods. Salted cod is primarily soaked in water, and later it can be used in a variety of ways, which include grilling, cooking, frying, or braising. Some of the most popular salt cod dishes in Portugal include crispy bolinhos de bacalhau fritters, creamy bacalhau com natas, Lisbon's favorite bacalhau a bras, and a Christmas Eve staple bacalhau com todos.Expand

This traditional Italian dish is usually associated with the Veneto region. It consists of salted cod that is primarily boiled in a mixture of water and milk. It is then thoroughly deboned, and finally mashed until it reaches a creamy but firm consistency. At the final stage, the fish is usually enriched with olive oil, garlic, and optionally parsley. The dish is considered to be a true delicacy that is light, packed with flavor and can vary from chunky to creamy in texture. It is usually served accompanied by grilled pieces of polenta or toasted, crispy bread.Expand

Bacalao al pil-pil is a traditional dish originating from the Basque Country. It is prepared with only four ingredients: salt cod, olive oil, garlic, and chili peppers. The cod is cooked in olive oil (with garlic and chili peppers), releasing gelatin that is needed for the emulsification of the sauce later on. Making pil-pil is a laborious process, taking anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes, and the final result is a creamy sauce that is spooned over the cod before serving. It is recommended to garnish the dish with leftovers garlic and chili peppers, then serve it hot or warm.Expand