Lenten Cod

Preparation

1. Boil the eggs in boiling water for 10-12 minutes until hard. Once cooked, immediately cool them in ice water to make peeling easier. SET ASIDE for later.
2. Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds, then immerse them in ice water to easily remove the skin. Cut the tomatoes in half, remove the seeds, and finely chop the pulp. SET ASIDE.
3. Dice the onion into small pieces. Ensure they are uniform to achieve an even sauté. SET ASIDE.
4. Coat the desalted cod fillets in flour, making sure they are well covered. Heat plenty of oil in a pan over medium-high heat and fry the cod first on the skinless side for about 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Flip over and fry for another 2-3 minutes. SET ASIDE.
5. In the hot oil remaining from frying the cod, fry a slice of bread for 1-2 minutes until golden and crispy. Remove the slice of bread and SET ASIDE for the picada.
6. Strain the oil to eliminate the residues of toasted flour. First, pass it through a fine sieve, ensuring that the toasted solids do not fall through. Then, strain the oil again using a paper towel in the fine sieve, allowing it to rest for a few minutes so that the residues accumulate on the paper. The resulting oil will be clean and free of solids.
7. Remove the external leaves of the artichokes until you reach the tender inner leaves. Trim the tips and cut the artichokes into quarters. Rub each quarter with a lemon to prevent browning.
8. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat and fry the quartered artichokes for 5-7 minutes, or until they are golden. SET ASIDE. Note: The artichokes may darken the oil, so it is recommended to change it if necessary.
9. In the same pan used to fry the artichokes, add the chopped onion and sauté over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes, until it becomes transparent and starts to take on color. Then, add the chopped tomato (peeled and seeded) and continue sautéing for an additional 5-8 minutes, until the tomato reduces and its flavor intensifies.
10. Once well sautéed, add a glass of white wine (approximately 200 ml) and let the alcohol evaporate over medium-high heat, for about 3-5 minutes until it slightly reduces.
11. Incorporate a tablespoon of flour (approximately 15 g) and stir well to integrate it with the other ingredients, cooking for about 1-2 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste.
12. Next, add a glass of water (approximately 250 ml), the fried artichoke quarters that we have set aside, and the raw peas. Stir well and bring to a boil.
13. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, and let simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. If the preparation becomes too thick, gradually add more water until the desired consistency is reached.
14. Meanwhile, prepare a spice blend with a clove, a bit of nutmeg, a handful of almonds, a handful of hazelnuts, a bit of saffron, and a slice of fried bread. Blend everything together and add it to the preparation, allowing it to cook for about 3 more minutes so the flavors meld well.
15. Preheat the oven to 200ºC, ensuring it is properly heated before placing the dish inside.
16. Place the fried cod loins in a baking dish and arrange the artichoke quarters beside them. Organize it in such a way that they are well distributed.
17. Pour the sauce we have prepared over the dish and sprinkle chopped parsley to taste for added freshness.
18. Finally, peel the hard-boiled eggs and cut them in half. Place the egg halves on the plate, distributed evenly.
19. Bake everything at 200ºC for 5 minutes, just to warm it up and allow all the flavors to meld before serving.