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Bacalao a la vizcaina is one of the most iconic dishes of the Basque Country, a gloriously red-sauced preparation of desalted salt cod steeped in a sauce built on the flesh of dried choricero peppers - mild, sweet, brick-red peppers unique to the Basque region. The sauce, built by slowly rendering onions and garlic then scraping the softened flesh of rehydrated peppers, develops a concentrated, almost jammy sweetness with deep earthy undertones that no other pepper can replicate. A fried slice of stale bread blended into the sauce gives it a silky body without any flour. This revered dish is a centerpiece of Basque gastronomy, appearing on every self-respecting Basque table during Semana Santa (Holy Week).
Prep
20 min
Cook
45 min
Total
65 min
Servings
4 srv
Difficulty
Medium
Calories
285 kcal
For 4 serving(s)
Per serving
Soak the salt cod in cold water for 48 hours, changing the water every 8-12 hours; pat dry and remove any bones before using.
Soak the dried choricero peppers in hot water for 30 minutes until soft; drain and scrape out the flesh with a spoon, discarding the skin.
Fry the stale bread slice in olive oil until golden on both sides; remove and set aside.
In the same pan, saute diced onions and minced garlic in olive oil very slowly over low heat for 30-40 minutes until they melt into a sweet, golden paste.
Add grated tomato, the scraped pepper flesh, and the fried bread; blend everything together with an immersion blender until very smooth, then season.
Cut the desalted cod into portions, arrange skin side up in the sauce, and simmer very gently for 15-20 minutes, basting frequently, until the cod is just cooked through and gelatinous.
Rest for 10 minutes before serving so the cod fully absorbs the sauce.
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