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Bacalao a la vizcaína

Name: Bacalao a la vizcaína
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 105 min
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 800 g thick salt cod loins; 100 ml olive oil; 8 dried choricero peppers (or 4 tbsp choricero paste); 750 g onions; 3 cloves garlic; 200 ml water; 1 pinch salt

Salt cod in red pepper sauce

Bacalao a la vizcaína: Bilbao salt cod in a sweet, brick-red sauce of onions and choricero peppers

Features:

High protein Dairy free Make ahead

Cuisine:

Spanish

Bilbao's great salt cod dish shows up every Lent and on Good Friday, and in the city's old taverns its sauce is judged as fiercely as the fish. The sauce is made only from onions cooked for a long time and the flesh of dried choricero peppers, with no tomato, which gives it its deep red colour and gentle sweetness. Salt cod needs 36–48 hours of soaking in the fridge, so start two days ahead. A common mistake is hurrying the onions: they need at least 40 minutes on a low heat to turn soft and sweet. Chef's tip: taste a flake of the soaked cod before cooking, and if it's still salty, soak it a few hours more.

Total time: 105 min
Difficulty: medium
Serves: 4

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Ingredients

Serves4

For the cod

1 ¾ lb thick salt cod loins4 pieces
½ cup olive oil

For the sauce

8 dried choricero peppers (or 4 tbsp choricero paste)
1 ⅔ lb onionsthinly sliced
3 cloves garlicsliced
¾ cup water
1 pinch salt

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What you'll need

Spices & pantry

Fresh ingredients (2)

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Method

0/6 done

Step 1: Two days ahead, rinse the 1 ¾ lb thick salt cod loins and put it skin side up in a large bowl of cold water. Cover and keep in the fridge for 36–48 hours, changing the water 3–4 times a day.
10 min
Step 2: Remove the stalks and seeds from the 8 dried choricero peppers (or 4 tbsp choricero paste) and soak the peppers in hot water for 1 hour. Scrape the soft red flesh from the skins with a spoon and keep it; discard the skins.
15 min
Step 3: Heat half the 3 ½ tbsp olive oil in a heavy pan over a low heat. Add 1 ⅔ lb onions and 3 cloves garlic and cook for 40–45 minutes, stirring now and then, until very soft, sweet and pale gold. Add a splash of water if they start to catch.
45 min
Step 4: Stir in the pepper flesh and the ¾ cup water and simmer for 10 minutes. Blend until smooth, then pass through a sieve for a silky sauce. Taste and add 1 pinch salt only if needed, as the cod is salty.
12 min
Step 5: Pat the cod dry. Warm the rest of the 3 ½ tbsp olive oil in a wide pan over a low heat and cook the cod skin side up for 3 minutes, then skin side down for 3 minutes, shaking gently. Don't let it fry fast.
6 min
Step 6: Pour the sauce into a clay dish or pan, lay the cod on top, skin side up, and simmer very gently for 6–8 minutes, until the cod is opaque all the way through and flakes when pressed. Serve hot.
8 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 430 kcal
Protein: 52 g
Carbs: 18 g
Fat: 17 g
Fibre: 5 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does bacalao a la vizcaína take?: About 105 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 75 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?: 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it gluten free?: Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
Can I make it ahead?: Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
What can I use instead of onions?: 2 shallots per onion.
What can I use instead of garlic?: ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.

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