Cod marmitako

Another of our blog proposals is the cod marmitako. Surely you all know the classic  tuna or tuna marmitako , since the recipe that I propose is a different alternative to cook this typical dish from the Basque Country. Talking about Basque cuisine is talking about tradition and very high quality products. It cannot be otherwise, since its geographical location next to the Cantabrian Sea and its abundant pastures, make its kitchens and tables always have the best gastronomic offerings, both in meat and fish.

So you know, if you want to do gastronomic quality tourism and spectacular landscapes, take advantage of this Easter or any time of the year, and stop by some of the best restaurants that are there. You have Michelin stars to give and take and when it comes to eating well, this is a guarantee. Going back to our recipe, tell you that it is a very simple stew and that you can prepare for any family gathering, or simply to bring a delicious tupper to the office, because as I always say, you have to eat healthy and tasty every day of the year even when you go to work. Take care of ourselves inside, to give one hundred percent outside!

I have a good fish broth that I prepared yesterday for another recipe, but if you are running out of time and do not want to prepare your broth, I recommend that you buy one already prepared in the supermarket and to cook. That the laziness of preparing a broth does not become an excuse to elaborate this recipe. You already know if you like marmitako but you don’t have Northern tuna on hand, this is the best option. Well, unlike the latter, which is in season from June to September, we can have cod throughout the year. If you have never tried this potato stew with cod , I encourage you to do so. You will not regret it.

Preparation of the cod marmitako

1. We start by preparing the fish stock . In a saucepan we put the bones and the head of the fish, half an onion, a carrot, bay leaf and a stream of olive oil. Let it boil over medium heat for 30 minutes, strain and reserve the broth. If you have not bought fresh fish, you can use ready-made broth that is to your liking, you will need about 800 ml.
2. We wash and mince the onion and garlic. Cut the peppers into medium squares and add them, along with the garlic and onion, to a large saucepan with a stream of extra virgin olive oil. Let it cook over medium heat.
3. Peel and click the potatoes into not very large pieces. When the onion begins to turn yellowish, add the potatoes and sauté everything together for a minute. Add the crushed or grated tomato and the sweet paprika. We braise.
4. We pour the broth that we have prepared and the bay leaves. We try and salt to taste. Let it boil over medium / low heat until the potatoes are tender.
5. At that time we add the chopped cod (that would be the most classic way of presenting this marmitako) but it can also be whole, as you see fit. Cover and leave for about five minutes, over low heat, until cooking is finished.
6. Sprinkle a little parsley and serve immediately so that the cod is very juicy.

Here you have one of the most typical dishes of the Basque fishing villages, a cod marmitako. Although the most classic and well-known marmitako is tuna or tuna marmitako , but it can be done with any fish, be it grouper, hake, salmon marmitako , cod … a potato stew with fish that the Basque fishermen made mainly on their own boats , with broken fish or of a not very high quality. This has changed and we can find masters of the art of the marmitako.

It is a fairly simple and fast recipe, with a basic elaboration (removing the subject of homemade broth, which can always be replaced by a prepared one), almost for novices in the kitchen. A dish in which you do not spend too much time and in which we have a recipe of those of a lifetime and delicious.

Be sure to enjoy all the recipes for fish and seafood that we have on the blog, I assure you that you will find a lot of ideas to make yours much happier. You can see all the photos of the step by step in the next album.