Cod with Samfaina Forki Style

Prepare the samfaina the day before

Important note: the original public recipe links to the detailed Forki-style samfaina recipe.

1. Rinse all the vegetables in cold water to remove any dirt.
2. Pour a generous drizzle of olive oil into the casserole in which the samfaina will cook, and warm it gently over medium heat.
3. Blanch half the tomatoes in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Remove their skins and seeds, then cut them into small cubes.
4. Carefully remove the seeds from the peppers and cut them into small cubes of about 1 cm.
5. Cut the eggplants into small cubes, keeping them about the same size as the pepper cubes.
6. Cut the zucchini into small cubes, also about 1 cm wide.
7. Slice the garlic cloves very finely.
8. Julienne the onions into long, thin strips.
9. Grate the other half of the tomatoes and reserve the grated tomato.
10. Put all the ingredients in the casserole, cover and cook over medium heat for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally so they do not stick.
11. After about 20 minutes, add a little sugar, a little salt and sweet paprika to taste.
12. Reduce the heat to its lowest setting, keep the casserole covered and cook for another 20 minutes.
13. If needed, add a small splash of water to prevent the samfaina from becoming too dry.
14. Once cooked, let the samfaina rest for several hours so the flavors meld; ideally, make it a day ahead. You can prepare a larger batch and freeze some for another occasion.

Cod with samfaina

1. Heat olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat until hot but not smoking.
2. Season and flour the cod loins. Fry them one at a time, starting on the skinless side, for 3-4 minutes per side until golden.
3. Transfer the cod loins to the casserole of hot samfaina and cook over low heat for 5-7 minutes. If it looks dry, add half a glass of water to keep it from sticking.
4. If the casserole is oven-safe, place it high in an oven preheated to 200ºC and gratinate for 5 minutes, until the cod and samfaina are golden.
5. After removing the casserole from the oven, scatter chopped fresh parsley over the top for freshness and color.