Classic Basque Salt Cod in Red Pepper Sauce

Be the first to rate

(No Ratings Yet)

Loading...

A signature dish from the Basque Country, this salt cod is gently simmered in a silky sauce built from rehydrated dried peppers, sweet onion, and ripe tomato. Served with crusty bread or boiled potatoes, it is comfort food at its most soulful.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 385 kcalCalories
• 18 gFat
• 3 gSaturated Fat
• 12 gCarbs
• 3 gFiber
• 6 gSugar
• 42 gProtein
• 620 mgSodium
• 890 mgPotassium
• 75 mgCalcium
• 2.5 mgIron
• 28 mgVitamin C
• 120 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the salt cod

• 1.5 lb (700 g) skin-on salt cod fillet
• 8 cups cold water for soaking, changed 3 times

For the pepper sauce

• 4 dried choricero or ñora peppers, stems and seeds removed
• 1 cup hot water for soaking peppers
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 small ripe tomato, grated (or 1/3 cup canned crushed tomato)
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 thick slice day-old white bread, crust removed
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley, to finish

Directions

1. Rinse the salt cod under cold water, place in a deep bowl, and soak for 24 to 36 hours in the refrigerator, changing the water every 8 hours to leach out the salt. Test a small piece; it should taste only lightly salty.
2. Meanwhile, place the dried peppers in a bowl and cover with 1 cup hot water. Soak for 30 minutes until soft. Drain (reserving the soaking liquid), then finely chop the peppers or pulse into a coarse paste.
3. In a wide earthenware or heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook gently for 12 to 15 minutes until translucent and golden at the edges. Stir in the garlic and cook 2 minutes more.
4. Add the pepper paste, grated tomato, paprika, bay leaf, sugar, and the soaked bread torn into pieces. Cook, stirring, for 8 to 10 minutes, adding a few tablespoons of the reserved pepper soaking liquid until the sauce thickens into a glossy, brick-red puree. Season lightly with pepper (salt is usually unnecessary).
5. Drain the soaked cod, pat dry, and cut into 4 equal portions. Nestle the cod into the simmering sauce, spooning some over the top. Cover and cook gently over low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, until the cod flakes easily and turns opaque.
6. Discard the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning, then sprinkle with parsley. Serve hot with boiled potatoes, rice, or thick slices of rustic bread to soak up the sauce.

Cook’s Notes

• Salt cod portions shrink by about 25 percent after soaking and cooking, so buy a generous piece.
• Choricero peppers give the most authentic color and mild, fruity flavor; guindilla or ñora are good substitutes, and a pinch of smoked paprika can deepen the hue.
• Never let the sauce boil once the cod is added; gentle heat keeps the flesh tender and the sauce emulsified.
• The bread is a traditional thickener used in Bilbao kitchens; it gives the sauce body without flour.
• Leftover sauce keeps refrigerated for 3 days and tastes even better the next day, reheated gently with a splash of water.

You might also like

European

Spanish Salt Cod in Biscayan Pepper Sauce

European

Spanish Seafood Stew with Saffron and Tomatoes

European

Catalan Hearty Winter Vegetable and Bean Stew

European

Segovia-Style Roast Suckling Pig