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Cod Biscayne
Cod à la Vizcaína is a traditional grandmother's recipe that everyone always loved. Do you remember how to make it? Let's get started!
The recipe for cod a la Vizcaína is very common in the cuisine of northern Spain, especially during Holy Week.
Cod is a fish that can be bought at any time of year at a good price, making it ideal for preparing this recipe whenever you feel like it.
In this post, we'll explain how to prepare the best Biscayan cod recipe and some tips to ensure it's as flavorful as possible.
Recipe for cod a la Vizcaína
Among all the cod recipes, preparing it in the Basque style is a delicious option and ideal for sharing with the family.
The most important thing is to have quality cod with lots of flavor, since it will be the star of the dish.
Ingredients for people 4
- 400 g of cod portions
- 1 cebolla great
- 4 chorizo peppers
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 100 g of natural crushed tomato
- 1 slice of bread
- 1 hoja de laurel
- Sal Island
- Extra virgin olive oil
Step-by-step preparation of cod a la Vizcaína
- We begin by hydrating the choricero peppers at least one hour before starting the recipe. Wash them and remove the seeds and stems. Heat a pot of water and let it come to a boil. Blanch the choricero peppers 3 or 4 times for 10 seconds. Then, remove the flesh with a spoon and set aside.
- We prepare the vegetables. Peel and slice the onion and garlic cloves. Heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a pan and sauté the vegetables with a pinch of salt. Tear the slice of bread into small pieces and add it to the pan, stirring over medium heat. Let it cook until the onions are soft.
- Add the reserved chorizo pepper meat, the freshly ground tomato, the bay leaf, and half a glass of water (or fish stock if you have it at home). Let it simmer for 10 minutes.
- We remove the bay leaf and we put the mixture in a blender until you have a smooth, light sauce. Then, return it to the pan and add the cod, skin-side up, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 10 more minutes over low heat.
- We check that the cod is cooked and serve each piece with a generous amount of sauce.
Recommendations for cooking cod a la Vizcaína
Like all recipes, cod a la Vizcaína has many variations throughout Spain.
Although the original recipe is the simplest and only has four ingredients: cod loins, choricero pepper, onion and garlic.
This cod recipe comes with a very tasty sauce that could be accompanied with chips or baked potatoes.
However, within this preparation there are also some alternatives to cook it in another way (and maintaining the same flavor).
Is it better to use choricero pepper meat or choricero pepper?
The choricero pepper requires preparation before starting the recipe.
This product is purchased dehydrated and must be rehydrated to extract the meat inside.
There are two simple ways to rehydrate choricero peppers:
- Blanch them in boiling water 3 or 4 times: Just as we explained earlier in the recipe, a couple of hours before cooking, bring water to a boil and blanch the choricero peppers in 3 or 4 batches, each time for at least 10 seconds.
- Hydrate them for a whole dayAnother option is to leave them in cold water for 24 hours to fully hydrate. Then, make a small cut and remove the flesh with a spoon. This is the easiest option, but it only works if you plan to prepare this recipe in advance.
Should desalted cod be used?
In our recipe for cod a la Vizcaína, we have used desalted cod loins, but it is not mandatory.
Using this product makes it easier to control the amount of salt so you don't overdo it.
You can also buy cod loins and desalt them at home, but it's a long and tedious process, not worth it when there are such readily available alternatives.
Poached or caramelized onion?
In the different recipes for cod a la Vizcaína, there are always two very different variations: those that use poached onions and those that prefer caramelized onions.
The difference is that the caramelized onion provides a sweet flavor that counteracts that of the choricero pepper.
The traditional recipe for Vizcaína sauce included sautéed onions, but it had a strong flavor that wasn't to everyone's taste.
Our recommendation is that you try both variants and stick with the one you like best.
To prepare the caramelized onion in this recipe, add only the sliced onion to the pan, along with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt. Let it cook over very low heat, stirring occasionally. There's no need to add sugar, as the onion caramelizes on its own.
When the onion is caramelized, as you'll notice by the color, add the garlic and continue with the recipe as explained above.
