Cod is a very popular fish throughout the Mediterranean, and there are countless recipes to enjoy it. In this Italian-style cod recipe, a large number of flavors and ingredients typical of that country are combined to achieve a maximum flavor.
Ingredients for 2 people:
2 fresh cod loins
1 small onion
1 large tomato
2-3 cloves of garlic, depending on preference
1 glass of white wine
1 large potato
A handful of capers (preserved in salt or vinegar)
A handful of black olives (ideally Gaeta, Taggiasche or Leccino type)
4-5 dried tomatoes (optional)
1 chili or peperoncino (optional)
Salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil
About this Italian-style cod recipe:
We can find many recipes similar to this one throughout the Mediterranean, such as Portuguese cod, cod in tomato sauce, Livornese cod, etc. Even other recipes such as polpo alla luciana (Neapolitan-style octopus) are based on a very similar sauce. Therefore, the list of ingredients is not absolutely exhaustive, but should be followed as a reference for those flavor combinations that complement each other perfectly.
On the other hand, we can even try this sauce to accompany some similar fish (such as hake), or even seafood, such as squid or octopus.
Italian-style cod: how to prepare it
If we use capers preserved in salt, let them soak for at least half an hour. Also, rehydrate the dried tomatoes in boiling water. Peel and cut the potato, and set it aside in a bowl with water (to prevent it from darkening). Pit the olives and set aside (keep them soaked with the capers if they are too salty). Choose a ripe tomato and immerse it in boiling water for a minute, so you can then peel it easily. Chop the tomato and reserve.
Heat a little extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan. Finely chop the onion, garlic and peperoncino. Sauté for a few minutes. Before the garlic starts to burn, add the tomato and potato. Season with pepper to taste and salt lightly (since many ingredients in the recipe are already salty, don’t add salt in excess at this point, and check again later before serving). Add the white wine and cook over high heat until the alcohol evaporates. Add the capers, olives, chopped parsley and optionally, a little oregano. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes over moderate heat. The exact time will depend on the size in which we have cut the potato slices.
When the potato is tender, turn off the heat, add the cod to the pan and cover. The fish will have cooked with the residual heat after a few minutes. If necessary, turn the fish over so that the steam and heat act evenly.
Tips and tricks:
- The cooking time will be longer if we use desalted cod. In that case, start by cooking the fish and add the potatoes in the final 10-15 minutes.
- To get a juicy fish, it is always preferable to cook it a little less, rather than overcooking it. Ideally it should reach about 50 degrees in the core. Anyone who wants to have absolute food security regarding anisakis, may prefer to use thawed cod as a preventive measure.