Bacalhau

Bacalhau is the Portuguese word for cod and—in a culinary context—dried and salted cod. Fresh (unsalted) cod is referred to as bacalhau fresco (fresh cod). Bacalhau dishes are common in Portugal, and also in former Portuguese colonies such as Cape Verde, Angola, Macau, Brazil, Timor-Leste and Goa. There are said to be over 1000 recipes for salt cod in Portugal alone and it can be considered the iconic ingredient of Portuguese cuisine (it is one of the few species of fish not consumed fresh in this fish-loving country, which boasts the highest per capita fish consumption within the European Union). It is often cooked on social occasions and is the traditional Christmas Eve dinner in some parts of Portugal. There are numerous bacalhau recipe variations, depending on region and tradition. In Portugal, it is said there are more than 365 ways to cook bacalhau, one for every day of the year; others say there are 1,001 ways. Whatever the exact number, bacalhau is a ubiquitous ingredient in Portuguese cuisine.

Source: Wikipedia