Jacklhau & Soytas

‘Bacalhau com natas’ was my favourite cod dish, back in the day. I’m so very happy to present here my vegan version, made with jackfruit and soya cream. It does take a few steps to make but is not hard at all! Jackfruit is such a versatile vegetable and combines really well with the rest of the ingredients in this recipe. Try it and let it me know how it went 🙂

Time: 1h 15 min approx.

Type: main dish

Difficulty: 3 pans

Serves 3-4 people

What you need

Food:

2 medium brown onion

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 bay leaves

1-2 tsp garlic powder/granules

1 can jackfruit in water (rinsed and shredded)

5-6  medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

2 tbsp vegetable spread

2 tbsp flour

250ml soya cream

200ml  unsweetened plant milk

150ml warm water

1 tsp white pepper

1 tsp nutmeg

1-2 nori sheets (cut in small pieces, about 1cm square)

Salt to taste

Vegan parmesan (optional)

Utensils:

2 pans (1 for onions, 1 to make béchamel)

Knife

Chopping board

Baking tray

Mixing spoon

1 small bowl

Air fryer

Directions:

Shred nori sheets and place them in a bowl with about 150ml of hot water and let it sit there for as long as possible;

Cut potatoes into small cubes and fry- I used air fryer for a healthier option, for about 30min. If you don’t have air fryer, don’t worry, you can fry in a frying pan with some olive or sunflower oil, or you can even cook potatoes in the oven (if using frying pan, use kitchen towel to remove excess oil in the end)- set aside;

Shred jackfruit and reserve;

Slice onions finely and fry them in a pan with olive oil, garlic granules and bay leaves for a few minutes in low heat, stirring frequently;

Add jackfruit and shredded nori sheets (save water) and cook for a further 3 minutes.

For the vegan béchamel: melt vegetable spread in a large frying pan, add flour while stirring vigorously;

Add plant milk, water from nori sheets and soya cream, a little at a time, stir and let it  come slowly up to a simmering point;

Reduce heat and add pepper, nutmeg and salt to taste- let it simmer for another minute and remove from heat;

Set aside about 1/3 cup of the white sauce;

Mix potatoes and onions into the remaining béchamel, mix all well and pour into a baking tray;

Spread 1/3 cup of the béchamel sauce on top, as well as vegan parmesan (if using);

Bake for about 20 minutes until top bubbles and becomes golden.