Kategorie

Salt cod Vizcaína style

Name: Salt cod Vizcaína style
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 800 g desalted salt cod or cod loin portions, skin on; 6 dried choricero peppers; 2 red onions (about 300 g); 2 garlic cloves; 4 tbsp olive oil; 250 ml hot water; 30 g stale white bread, crust removed; 1/4 tsp salt, only if needed; 1/4 tsp black pepper

Zusammenfassung

Editorially simplified adaptation of a Spanish public-domain recipe. Source

Preparation

If using salted cod, desalt it first for 24 to 36 hours in plenty of cold water in the refrigerator, changing the water at least three times. The fish must already be desalted for this recipe. Remove stems and seeds from the choricero peppers and soak them in the hot water for 20 minutes.
Peel the onions and garlic. Cut the onions into fine strips and the garlic into thin slices. Soak the bread in 3 tablespoons of the pepper soaking water until soft. Reserve the remaining pepper water.
Warm the olive oil in a wide casserole over low to medium heat. Cook the onions with a small pinch of salt slowly for 18 to 20 minutes until very soft and pale golden; do not let them brown. Add the garlic for the final 2 minutes.
Lift the peppers from the water and scrape the softened flesh from the skins with a small knife. Add the pepper flesh, soaked bread and 150 ml of the pepper water to the onions. Blend smooth with a stick blender. If the sauce is too thick, blend in more pepper water one tablespoon at a time.
Warm the sauce gently again. Put the fish portions into it skin-side down and spoon a little sauce over them. Cover and cook over very low heat for 6 to 8 minutes; the sauce must not bubble vigorously. The fish is ready when it separates easily into moist flakes with a fork.
Taste a piece and only then season with pepper and, if genuinely needed, salt. Lift the fish carefully onto four plates and spoon the sauce around it. Serve immediately; boiling it hard again would dry out the fish.