Basque-Style Cod (bacalao a la vizcaína)

“Vizcaína” is one of the best-known sauces in Basque cuisine. Its main ingredient is the pulp of an elongated red pepper (called “choricero” pepper) which gives it a distinctive and unique flavor. The versatility of this sauce allows it to accompany different meat and vegetable dishes, but it is probably together with cod where it achieves its greatest and well-deserved fame.

The preparation of the ingredients:

The cod: as a previous step, desalt the cod. For this purpose, put the fish in a container and cover it with water. Store in the fridge and change the water twice a day. This process can take up to 48 hours. It’s possible to find cod which is sold already partially desalted, and then this process can be done for only one hour, without the need of changing the water. For safety, always remember to keep it in the fridge. Once the cod is ready to be cooked, remove the excess liquid and reserve.

The “choricero” ​​peppers: remove the stem of the peppers, discard the seeds and submerge them in hot water for at least half an hour. When they have softened, remove the pulp with a knife and set aside. Discard the skin.

Prepare the Biscayan (“vizcaína”) sauce:

Heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan. Chop the onion and garlic. Brown them over moderate heat, taking care not to burn them. When the onion is transparent, add the pulp of the ​​peppers. If case of using tomato, peel it, chop it and add it in this moment. Add a little fish broth if the sauce is very dry. On the contrary, if you want to thicken it a bit, add some breadcrumbs. Reduce to low heat for about 20 minutes and after that, pass the sauce through a vegetable mill.

Cook the cod:

Return the sauce to the saucepan, add the fish skin side down, and continue cooking over moderate heat. The cooking time will be up to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the loins.

Tips and tricks:

1. Remember to discard the skin of the peppers, since it would give the sauce a bitter taste.
2. The consistency of the sauce will certainly be better if we pass it through a vegetable mill instead of just blending it.
3. Some recipes begin by cooking the cod in olive oil for a few minutes on each side, then reserve it to continue with the sauce in the same saucepan. In this way, the dish becomes more caloric, but the sauce becomes more interesting and probably binds better, thanks to the gelatin that comes off the cod skin.
4. The use of tomato in this dish is optional and very common in some homes, although others consider it an ingredient that is not accepted by tradition.
5. For those who want a shortcut, it’s possible to replace the dried “choricero” peppers with the pulp which is sold in glass jars.