Lenten Cod
The smooth and flavorful cod of Lent, along with tender artichokes and caramelized onion, offers a combination of textures and flavors that evoke traditional seasonal meals.
Ingredients
Servings:
4

Main Ingredients

  • 4 dried salted cod fillets
  • 4 artichokes
  • 1 onion
  • 2 ripe tomatoes
  • 250 gpeas (already peeled)
  • 2 hard-boiled egg
  • 0.33 glasswhite wine
  • 1 tablespoonflour
  • 1 tablespoonsweet red pepper
  • chopped mixture
  • 2 cloves and grated nutmeg.
  • 1 sprigparsley
  • 10 galmonds and hazelnuts
  • 1 llescafried bread
  • saffron
  • 1 pinchsalt - pepper
Nutritional Information

Per Serving (Approx.)

Calories
605 kcal
Protein
37 g
Fat
27 g
Carbohydrates
58 g

Disclaimer: These values are estimates based on ingredient types and may not be precise.

Step-by-step Guide

Preparation

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Dice the onion into small pieces. Ensure they are uniform to achieve an even sauté. SET ASIDE.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Preheat the oven to 200ºC, ensuring it is properly heated before placing the dish inside.
  • 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.
  • Pour the sauce we have prepared over the dish and sprinkle chopped parsley to taste for added freshness.
  • Finally, peel the hard-boiled eggs and cut them in half. Place the egg halves on the plate, distributed evenly.
  • Bake everything at 200ºC for 5 minutes, just to warm it up and allow all the flavors to meld before serving.
Recommendations & Tricks
  • Fry the artichokes cut into quarters in hot oil over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes, until golden. Reserve them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Note: If the oil becomes dark, do not hesitate to change it to maintain the flavor of the dish.
  • In a large skillet, make a sofrito with one medium onion finely chopped (approximately 150g) adding olive oil over medium heat. When the onion becomes translucent (about 8 minutes), add 2 ripe tomatoes crushed (without skin or seeds) and let cook for about 10 minutes until the tomato reduces and changes color.
  • After the sofrito is well concentrated, add a glass (approximately 200 ml) of dry white wine and let the alcohol evaporate for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Incorporate a tablespoon of flour (approximately 15g), stirring well for a minute so it toasts lightly and doesn’t clump.
  • Add a glass of water (approximately 250 ml), the fried artichokes you set aside, and a handful of fresh peas (about 100g). Adjust with salt and pepper to taste and let simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the sauce becomes too thick, gradually add more water.
  • While the ingredients are cooking, prepare a picada with one small avocado (clave dolor), a pinch of nutmeg, 30g of almonds, 30g of hazelnuts, a bit of saffron, and a slice of fried bread. Blend everything together until well combined and incorporate it into the pot. Let it cook for another 3 minutes for the flavors to meld.
  • If desired, at the end you can add some chopped parsley for garnish and to bring freshness to the dish.