Fish and potatoes are a recurring theme in the Iberian cuisine. The addition of “linguiça” (Portuguese soft spicy sausage in taste similar to Spanish chorizo) and leeks to the codfish brings the dish to another level. The result is earnest food at its best. A flexitarian recipe invented centuries before the word flexitarian ever was created.
If you want to prepare your own fish stock, you need to add 45 minutes. You find the recipe here.
Yield: 4 servings
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb (450 g) cod fillet, preferably middle section and cut into four even portions
- 2 cups (180 g) chopped leeks, light green and white parts only
- 1 cup (140 g) Portuguese linguiça or Spanish chorizo, sliced into rounds
- 1 lb (450 g) golden Yukon potatoes cut into halves or rough cubes depending on the size
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups (800 g) diced tomatoes, with their juices
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine
- 2 cups (475 ml) fish stock
- 1/2 cup (15 g) fresh cilantro (coriander leaves) or flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan that is wide enough to hold the fish in a single layer over medium heat. Add the linguiça or chorizo as well as the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until the linguiça has browned slightly and the leeks are soft about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, the wine, and 1 cup (475 ml) fish stock. Add the potato cubes and bring all to a boil over high heat. Partially cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 15 minutes. If tomato sauce seems too thick, add more fish stock. Season with salt and pepper and half of the cilantro.
Season the cod with salt and pepper, set the fillets on top of the stew. Cover, and simmer until just cooked through 8 to 10 minutes depending on the thickness of the cod filets. Using a wide spatula, carefully transfer the cod to shallow soup bowls taking care that fillets do not break apart. Spoon a bit of the stew over the cod and serve immediately, garnished with the remaining cilantro (coriander leaves).
