A nearly century-old Mallorcan recipe for convent-style salt cod combining preserved fish with summer vegetables was documented in Palma in 1927.
The dish, known as bacalao al estilo mongil, layers desalted fish with fried potatoes, red peppers, confit tomato sauce and garlic alioli. It was detailed by culinary journalist Lara Tarrio in a historical report published on August 21, 2026.
The recipe was published in Cuina mallorquina de casa de senyor, a cookbook printed in Palma in 1927. Culinary historians trace its underlying techniques back to various salt cod preparations served across Mallorca during the 19th century.
Mallorca, the largest of Spain's Balearic Islands in the western Mediterranean, has a long tradition of seafood preservation. Before modern refrigeration, salt cod was a vital dietary staple across the region because it could be stored for extended periods without spoiling. This allowed island cooks to serve fish when fresh catches were scarce and pair it with seasonal crops harvested during the warm summer months.
19th-century Mallorcan cookbooks recorded numerous cod preparations under the name bacalao a la vizcaina, which featured rich sauces made from tomatoes, onions, garlic and peppers. Other local variations from that period were listed simply as bacalao con salsa or bacalao con salsita.
Monastic origins and seasonal produce
With the arrival of the 20th century, several of these traditional preparations began receiving names associated with religious institutions. Among them was bacalao al estilo mongil, which retained core ingredients including well-reduced tomato sauce, sweet red peppers, fried potatoes and alioli.
Catholic convents across Mallorca played an important role in preserving and transmitting these traditional recipes. Salt cod was an affordable, flavorful and easily stored protein, making it a regular item in convent kitchens and particularly useful during mandatory days of religious abstinence when meat was forbidden.
Monastic cooks adapted the dish to the seasonal harvest. In summer, fresh tomatoes and peppers added vibrant flavor to balance the preserved fish. The layered construction of bacalao al estilo mongil closely resembles tumbet, a traditional Mallorcan vegetable dish made with layered fried potatoes, peppers and tomato sauce.
Ingredients and step-by-step preparation
Preparing authentic bacalao al estilo mongil requires four pieces of desalted cod, two or three potatoes, five or six tomatoes, two red peppers, cooking oil, milk, garlic, flour and a splash of brandy or red wine.
If starting with salted cod, the fish must remain in soak for two to three days. Cooks must change the water frequently and replace the water with milk during the final change to soften the texture and lower salinity.
Preparation begins with the vegetables. The potatoes are sliced into rounds, the red peppers are cut into pieces, and the tomatoes are grated. The grated tomatoes are then cooked with bay leaf, several crushed garlic cloves and a splash of red wine or brandy until reduced into a thick confit sauce.
The potatoes are fried first in hot oil. Using the same oil, cooks fry the floured cod pieces and red peppers. Once cooked, the ingredients are arranged in layers similar to tumbet and covered with the tomato sauce.
Preparing the garlic alioli topping
The final step is the addition of alioli. The version recorded in the 1927 cookbook is made by emulsifying milk, oil and a clove of garlic with a blender before spreading it over the assembled dish.
Cooks can also prepare the alioli using the classic method by substituting an egg for the milk. Alioli, a garlic and oil sauce traditional to eastern Spain, adds a savory finish that complements the sweet tomatoes and fried fish.
