Rioja Paired Recipes: Bacalao a la riojana

Rioja-Style Salt Cod

You’ll find many dishes with an a la riojana tacked on to the end of their name. That means “Rioja style”, and what that means in the kitchen is often a dish with peppers and tomatoes that is stewed low and slow to tender, flavorful perfection. In this rendition, salt cod is the star.

Cod is very popular in the north of Spain, thanks to the tradition of deep-sea fishing. Cod were caught in the cold waters of the north seas and salted on board the fishing vessels, a method of preservation that allowed even inland residents to enjoy seafood. This tradition, while no longer necessary after the invention of modern refrigeration, is still around simply because it’s delicious.

If you are buying salt cod that has not been prepared, be sure to leave a day or two to soak the cod. This process is essential for removing excess salt to cook with the fish. You can find instructions for working with salt cod fillets that have not been desalted under the section below, Preparing salt cod.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 3 dried choricero peppers
• ½ cup (120mL) extra virgin olive oil
• 2 onions, diced
• 6 garlic cloves
• 2 pounds (900g) ripe tomatoes, chopped
• ½ cup roasted red peppers, piquillo (about 6) or bell (about 3), julienned
• 1 ½ lbs (680g) salt cod fillets, desalted
• 1 bay leaf
• flour, for dredging
• salt
• sugar

Instructions:

1. Wash the dried peppers well under running water and place in a pan with 250 ml water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat before turning off the heat. Allow the peppers to soak for 20 minutes. Scrape the pulp from the peppers and reserve.
2. Heat a spoonful of olive oil over medium-high heat and saute half of the onion and 2 of the garlic cloves, minced, for about 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the tomatoes along with a pinch of salt and sugar and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes. Blend the sauce and then pass through a food mill or sieve.
3. Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat and add the remaining onion and 2 more garlic cloves, minced, cooking until they are soft and tender and beginning to color. Add the pulp from the dried peppers, the julienned peppers, and the tomato sauce and allow to simmer for at least 15 minutes.
4. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan. Add 2 remaining garlic cloves, smashed, and a bay leaf and fry until golden, about 2-3 minutes. Then remove the garlic and pass the oil through a strainer. Cut the cod filets into individual portions and coat the cod fillets in flour. Fry in the garlic-infused oil until each side is golden, about 2-3 minutes per side. 
5. Once fried, arrange the cod in a casserole dish and cover with the sauce, then cook over a low heat for a further 15 minutes before serving. 

Notes: 

This dish is best when prepared one day in advance and served warm rather than hot.

If you have choricero puree, you can sub 1 Tablespoon for the dried choriceros.

Preparing salt cod

Twenty-four to 48 hours before you are going to use the salt cod, run it under cold water to take off excess salt on its surface. If necessary, cut the cod so the pieces are evenly sized (always work with similar-size pieces, or they will end up unevenly salty). Place it in a large bowl and add cold water to cover. Set aside to soak in a cool place—generally, desalting will take longer in the refrigerator than at cool room temperature. Depending on the size of the cod and its saltiness, desalting may take 12 to 48 hours.

Change the water every 8 to 12 hours. After 12 hours, taste a piece of the cod for saltiness. When it tastes well-seasoned, neither overly salty nor bland, drain the water, pat the cod dry with paper towels, and use it as directed in your recipe. If you must store it after desalting, treat it like fresh fish and store it for no more than a couple of days.