Cod in Smooth Pisto Sauce —a confined kitchen at Lent
It’s a weird sensation these days, isn’t it? We wake up every morning wondering what the new limitation will be for the day ahead —whether we’ll be able to go out freely for a walk in the neighborhood, whether we’ll be able to fly next week to see a loved one. COVID-19 has turned us upside down as in the most dystopian of stories.
Routine tasks we used to do without giving them a second thought now become a highlight of the day – leave the house for a moment to pick up the mail; take the garbage to the curb. A trip to the grocery store means cladding yourself in defensive gear: mask, even gloves. Shop quickly, stay away from anybody, touch as few things as possible. We know this will end, but when, that is the question nobody can answer. And when this ends (which we know it will), will our lives ever go back to normal? Will things be as they were before? I’m sure they will not. We will keep washing our hands many times a day. We will carry hand sanitizer with us. We will think twice about reaching out for that hug or kiss on the cheek. Our lives have changed forever.
Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis played this piano
Some things, though, have stood the test of time, and they will continue to stay the same. Lent is an example. No meat on Fridays of Lent is an example. And cod is the most traditional fish for Lent in Spain.
The recipe I’m sharing today, cod in smooth pisto sauce, is quite a traditional and popular one in Spain, and each family has its own recipe. Don’t mistake the Spanish word pisto with the Italian pesto. Pisto is a Spanish sauce made of tomatoes, green peppers, onions and olive oil —and also usually eggplant as well—, in a way similar to sofrito, but with larger “chunks”. For this dish, I like the idea of Spanish Michelin star chef Dani Garcia of pureeing the pisto into a super smooth sauce, and then cook the fish in it while barely disturbing it. Once you make the sauce, finishing the dish is a breeze. And I can assure you your family will love it, even if they don’t like fish very much. I like to use the loins of the cod, the thickest part of the filet, for this dish. It becomes so tender when cooked, it melts in your mouth. I like to serve it with seasoned baby potatoes, to make sure the delicious pisto sauce can be scooped up.
I accompany today’s recipe with photos of happier recent times, because we all need those reminders: yes, happier times will come. My youngest son is a soccer goalkeeper in the Olympic Development Program of Indiana, which gives our family the chance to visit the cities where he plays. We traveled to Memphis last year and hit some of the popular venues –Graceland, Elvis’s house and museum, the Mississippi River, the Peabody Hotel, Beale Street. We traveled there again last month for the same tournament and visited some places we hadn’t visited before, like the Rock & Soul Museum, Sun Studio (did I mention we are a music fanatic household?), or the quite astonishing Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid. But our favorite thing to always do when we visit a new city is to walk around, breathe in the atmosphere and experience the local food (barbecue is a must in Memphis!).
You’re probably cooking more during this period of confinement that most countries are enduring. Open a cookbook, a food magazine, or check Mama Ía blog regularly for ideas and variation in your dishes. Cooking something new every day puts a little excitement into our daily routine. It works for me, and I invite you to try it. In the meantime, stay home, and stay safe. This, too, shall pass.
NOTE: for more on Lent and Holy Week in Spain, check in the IDIOSYNCRASIES section of this blog, or click here.
COD IN SMOOTH PISTO SAUCE
Bacalao en salsa fina de pisto
Ingredients:
2 lbs fresh cod filets
2 medium onions
1 green pepper
4 lbs tomatoes
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic
Salt and pepper
1 tsp sugar
Note: I like to use the thickest part of the cod filets (the loin).
Cut the cod filets into 3 inch pieces.
Dice the pepper and onions into 1/2 inch size pieces. Dice the tomatoes into 1 inch pieces.
In a cast iron casserole, heat the olive oil at medium heat with the bay leaf and the smashed garlic clove. When the oil is hot, add the onion and sauté until translucent, stirring every few minutes (make sure it doesn’t burn).
Add the pepper and sauté, stirring, 3-4 minutes.
Remove the garlic clove and bay leaf and discard.
Add the tomatoes and cook at medium-high heat, 30-40 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
Season with salt and pepper and add the sugar. Add a few more drops of oilve oil.
Pass the pisto sauce through a food mill and return the puréed sauce to the casserole.
Gently lay the cod loins into the sauce and cook at medium heat for about 5 to 6 minutes, swirling the casserole gently.
Place one or two loins over a few spoonfuls of the sauce and serve with baby potatoes.
SEASONED BABY POTATOES
Patatas baby sazonadas
Ingredients:
4 lbs baby potatoes
3 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Season the water with salt and cook over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer gently until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a toothpick.
Strain the water and return the potatoes to the pot. Add the oil and season with salt and pepper. Swirl the potatoes in the pot to coat them in the oil.
High above the Mississippi
