Bacalao a la Riojana

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Wide heavy casserole or glazed cazuela, 28 to 30cm
• •Non-reactive container large enough to soak the cod
• •Fine grater for fresh tomatoes
• •Instant-read thermometer

Instructions

1. 1

   Desalt the cod

   Rinse the loose salt from the cod. Set the pieces skin-side up in a non-reactive container, cover them with at least 2 litres of cold water, and refrigerate for 36 hours, changing the water every 8 hours. Keep the cod cold throughout. To check it, poach a small trimming from the thickest piece for 30 seconds and taste it. It should remain pleasantly seasoned, not sharply salty. Give very thick loins another 8 hours if needed. Drain and pat completely dry.

   Ready-desalted frozen bacalao is a sound household shortcut. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, pat it dry, and begin with the peppers.
2. 2

   Soften the choriceros

   Cover the dried choricero peppers with hot water and leave them for 30 minutes. Drain, open them flat, and scrape the soft red flesh from the skins with the back of a small knife. You need about 30g of pulp. Discard the skins. If you're using jarred choricero pulp, measure it and move on.

3. 3

   Seal the cod

   Dust the dried cod lightly with the flour and shake off every loose patch. Heat 70ml of the olive oil in a wide casserole over medium heat. Lay in the cod skin-side down and cook for 90 seconds, then turn it carefully and cook the other side for 45 seconds. Lift it to a plate. You're setting the surface, not cooking the fish through.

4. 4

   Build the red sofrito

   Lower the heat and add the remaining 50ml olive oil. Add the onion and cook gently for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until dark gold, soft, and almost jammy. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the choricero pulp for 30 seconds, then add the tomato. Cook uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring and scraping the base, until the sauce is deep brick-red, thick enough to hold a trail from the spoon, and beads of oil show around the edges. This slow reduction is where the sweetness comes from. Rush it and the sauce stays watery and sharp.

5. 5

   Layer the potatoes

   Pour in 250ml water and stir until the sauce is even. Arrange the potato slices in overlapping layers across the casserole and tuck three-quarters of the piquillo strips among them. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for 18 to 22 minutes. The potatoes should be nearly tender but still offer a little resistance at the centre.

6. 6

   Finish the cod gently

   Nestle the cod skin-side down over the potatoes. Spoon a little sauce over each loin and lay the remaining piquillo strips on top. Cover and cook at the lowest simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, without turning the fish, until the flesh separates into moist flakes and reaches 63°C at its thickest point. Shake the casserole gently by its handles if the sauce needs moving. If it catches at the edge, add 30ml water, not more oil.

7. 7

   Rest and serve

   Take the casserole off the heat and let it stand for 5 minutes. Taste the sauce only now, after the cod has seasoned it, and add up to 2g salt if it truly needs it. Serve one loin per person with potatoes, piquillo strips, and plenty of the red sauce. Siempre sale, si lo sigues.

Chef Tips

• •Buy thick, even, skin-on loins from the centre of the fish. Thin tail pieces turn dry before the potatoes are ready, while the skin on a proper loin gives the sauce body and helps the flakes hold together.
• •Pésalo, no lo adivines. Four soaked choricero peppers should give about 30g pulp. Jarred choricero pulp is a faithful substitute; dried ñora peppers are sweeter and less earthy, so use them only at a pinch.
• •At Easter, fresh tomatoes are often not worth buying. Use good canned whole peeled tomatoes and crush them yourself. They give a fuller sauce than hard, pale tomatoes that haven't seen enough sun.
• •Piquillos are tender and lightly smoky, not vinegary. If substituting jarred roasted red peppers, read the label and avoid anything packed as a pickle. Drain the peppers well so they don't thin the sofrito.
• •Serve this with bread for the sauce and a young white Rioja made from Viura, or a dry Rioja clarete. The wine should clear the salt and olive oil, not compete with the peppers.
• •Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and keep them for up to 2 days. Reheat covered over very low heat with a spoonful of water, stopping as soon as the sauce loosens. A hard boil will punish the cod twice.

Advance Preparation

• •Begin dry salt-packed cod 36 hours ahead. Keep it submerged in cold water in the refrigerator and change the water every 8 hours. Very thick loins may need up to 48 hours.
• •The tomato, onion, choricero, and piquillo sauce can be cooked one day ahead. Cool it promptly, refrigerate it covered, then loosen it with the measured water before adding the potatoes.
• •The complete casserole can rest off the heat for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Keep it covered and do not return it to a boil.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 700g)