Chef Dimitra
Central Macedonian Arni Fricassee (Αρνί Φρικασέ Μακεδονίας)
Central Macedonia's spring lamb fricassee braises shoulder with romaine, dill, and spring onion, then finishes the pot with avgolemono, the egg-lemon sauce that makes it silk.
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Bourdeto Kerkyra (Μπουρδέτο Κέρκυρας)
Created by
Corfu's bourdeto is a red, pepper-hot fish braise, traditionally made with scorpionfish, potatoes, tomato, and enough heat to announce the Ionian table.
Soups & Stews
Greek
Comfort Food
Dinner Party
Special Occasion
20 min
Active Time
45 min cook•1 hr 5 min total
Yield4 servings
Bourdeto Kerkyra is Corfu's fish braise, red with pepper and tomato, sharp at the finish, and hotter than a mainland cook usually expects. The region is the dish's surname here: Μπουρδέτο Κέρκυρας means the Ionian pot, not just fish in sauce. Scorpionfish is the old choice because it gives body and holds together, but any firm white fish with bones and skin will behave better than a delicate fillet.
The method that decides it is the red pepper in the oil. Cook the onion down first, then let the tomato paste and hot red pepper stain the oil before any water or tomato goes in. That is where the sauce becomes deep, even, and properly fierce. Sprinkle the heat in late and it stays raw and thin, like an apology.
Once the fish goes in, hands off. You shake the pot, you don't stir it. The fish should arrive at the table in generous pieces, the potatoes stained red underneath, the sauce glossy enough to mark the bread. Good olive oil, and patience. Corfu knew what it was doing.
Bourdeto belongs to Corfu and the Ionian Islands, where Venetian rule from the late fourteenth century to 1797 left Italian names attached to local Greek pots. Its name comes from brodetto, the Adriatic fish stew, but the Corfiot version became its own dish through the heavy use of red pepper and the island habit of serving it hot and red rather than delicate. Scorpionfish is traditional because its firm flesh and bones enrich the sauce without falling apart.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
scorpionfish (skorpina) or firm white fish
Quantity
1.2kg
cleaned and cut into large pieces
waxy potatoes
Quantity
600g
peeled and cut into 2cm slices
yellow onions
Quantity
300g
thinly sliced
garlic cloves
Quantity
4
thinly sliced
extra virgin Koroneiki olive oil
Quantity
120ml
tomato paste
Quantity
2 tablespoons
sweet red pepper or sweet paprika
Quantity
1 teaspoon
hot red pepper or cayenne
Quantity
1/2 to 1 teaspoon
to taste
ripe tomatoes or canned crushed tomatoes
Quantity
250g fresh or 200g canned
fresh tomatoes grated
fish stock or water
Quantity
250ml
bay leaf
Quantity
1
fine sea salt
Quantity
8g
plus more as needed
black pepper
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Quantity
2 tablespoons
flat-leaf parsley
Quantity
2 tablespoons
chopped
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| scorpionfish (skorpina) or firm white fishcleaned and cut into large pieces | 1.2kg |
| waxy potatoespeeled and cut into 2cm slices | 600g |
| yellow onionsthinly sliced | 300g |
| garlic clovesthinly sliced | 4 |
| extra virgin Koroneiki olive oil | 120ml |
| tomato paste | 2 tablespoons |
| sweet red pepper or sweet paprika | 1 teaspoon |
| hot red pepper or cayenneto taste | 1/2 to 1 teaspoon |
| ripe tomatoes or canned crushed tomatoesfresh tomatoes grated | 250g fresh or 200g canned |
| fish stock or water | 250ml |
| bay leaf | 1 |
| fine sea saltplus more as needed | 8g |
| black pepper | 1/2 teaspoon |
| red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice | 2 tablespoons |
| flat-leaf parsleychopped | 2 tablespoons |
Equipment Needed
- •wide heavy pot with lid, 28cm to 30cm
- •fish spatula
- •box grater for fresh tomatoes
Instructions
- 1
Salt the fish
Pat the fish dry and salt it lightly on all sides. Leave it at room temperature while you start the sauce, no longer than 20 minutes. Big pieces matter here. Small fillets break before the sauce is ready.
- 2
Soften the onions
Warm the olive oil in a wide heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions with a pinch of the measured salt and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until soft and sweet but not browned. Add the garlic for the last minute.
- 3
Bloom the red pepper
Stir in the tomato paste, sweet red pepper, and hot red pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, until the oil stains brick-red and the paste smells cooked. This is the step that makes bourdeto itself: the heat must open in the oil before the liquid goes in, so it seasons the whole braise instead of sitting on top like raw dust.
Start with 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper if your table is cautious. Corfu's bourdeto should bite, but you still have to eat the bowl. - 4
Build the sauce
Add the grated tomato, fish stock or water, bay leaf, remaining salt, and black pepper. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot, then bring to a steady simmer. The sauce should look loose and red, not watery.
- 5
Cook the potatoes
Lay the potato slices into the sauce in one even layer, spooning sauce over them. Cover and simmer gently for 18 to 22 minutes, until the potatoes are almost tender when pierced with a knife.
- 6
Braise the fish
Nestle the fish pieces into the pot, skin side down if there is skin, and spoon sauce over the top. Cover and simmer gently for 10 to 14 minutes, depending on thickness, until the flesh flakes at the thickest part. Don't stir. Shake the pot by its handles if you need to move the sauce around.
- 7
Finish sharply
Take the pot off the heat. Add the vinegar or lemon juice and let the bourdeto rest uncovered for 5 minutes so the sauce settles around the fish. Taste the sauce for salt and heat, scatter with parsley, and serve from the pot with bread for the red oil at the bottom.
Chef Tips
- •Use scorpionfish if you can find it. If not, choose monkfish, grouper, sea bass cut thick, cod loin, or another firm fish that can simmer without collapsing. Thin fillets are not for this pot.
- •The sauce should be hot, not polite. Still, peppers vary wildly, so start at the lower amount and correct near the end only if you must. The true heat comes from blooming it early in the oil.
- •Serve bourdeto with country bread and a bitter green salad. Feta is not needed here. The sauce is already doing the talking.
Advance Preparation
- •Ask the fishmonger to clean and portion the fish the same day you cook it.
- •The onion and tomato base can be cooked 4 hours ahead; rewarm it gently, add the potatoes, then finish with the fish just before serving.
- •Leftovers keep 1 day in the refrigerator, but reheat gently and expect the fish to be softer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 520g)
Calories
585 calories
Total Fat
23 g
Saturated Fat
4 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
18 g
Cholesterol
150 mg
Sodium
1100 mg
Total Carbohydrates
36 g
Dietary Fiber
6 g
Sugars
7 g
Protein
63 g
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