Marmitako with Tuna Forki

Preparation

1. Thoroughly clean the rockfish under cold water, ensuring to remove any impurities. Place it in a large pot with cold water and let it simmer for 25 minutes over medium-high heat. Then, remove from heat and let it rest for 10 minutes. Strain the stock through a fine sieve, reserving it for later. Note: A store-bought fish stock can also be used as an alternative.
2. Place the choricer pepper in a bowl and cover it with warm water. Allow it to soften for 30 minutes. Then, use a small spoon to scrape the pulp from the inside and set it aside. Note: If preferred, canned choricer pepper pulp can be purchased at the supermarket.
3. Peel the potatoes and, using a knife, cut them into irregular chunks approximately 3 cm on each side. This will help thicken the marmitako during cooking.
4. Blanch the tomatoes: bring a pot of water to a boil, submerge the tomatoes for 30 seconds, then immediately transfer them to a bowl with ice-cold water. Peel the tomatoes, remove the seeds, and chop the flesh into small pieces.
5. Cut the tuna into cubes approximately 2 cm on each side to ensure even cooking.
6. Place the tuna in a bowl and add a splash of brandy. Let it marinate for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the brandy evenly coats the tuna.
7. In a pan with a bit of oil, sauté the chopped Figueres onions over low heat for about 15 minutes until they begin to brown. Once they start to take on this color, add a tablespoon of sugar and continue cooking until they are fully caramelized, about 10 more minutes.
8. Once the onions begin to turn translucent, add the chopped garlic and tomato. Stir well and let it cook for 1 hour over low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
9. Continue cooking the sofrito for a full hour, adjusting the heat if necessary to maintain a gentle simmer.
10. When there are about 15 minutes left to finish the sofrito, incorporate the choricero pepper pulp and mix it well with the sofrito.
11. Finely chop the spring onions and green peppers to achieve a homogeneous texture.
12. In a large pot where we'll prepare the marmitako, heat a little oil and cook the spring onions and green peppers on low heat until they are well-caramelized, about 20 minutes.
13. Once the spring onions and green peppers are caramelized, transfer them to the handheld blender container. Add the sauteed mixture from the pan and blend everything until you achieve a uniform and smooth texture.
14. Pass the mixture through the handheld blender, and then strain it using a fine sieve to remove any lumps or impurities.
15. Return the sauteed mixture to the pot and add the roughly broken potatoes. Cover the pot and let them cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.
16. Pour the fish broth over the potatoes until they are completely covered. Add a pinch of black pepper and a little grated nutmeg. Increase the heat and let it boil for 10 minutes.
17. Finely chop the parsley and set it aside to use at the end of the cooking process.
18. When the potatoes are almost cooked, add the tuna cubes, the macerated cognac, and the chopped parsley. Stir gently to combine all the ingredients.
19. Cover the pot and immediately turn off the heat to avoid overcooking the tuna.
20. Let the marmitako rest with the pot covered for 5 minutes. The tuna will cook with the residual heat, achieving a tender and juicy texture.