Spanish Cod Ajoarriero Recipe - Bacalao Ajoarriero a la Antigua

INGREDIENTS

1 3/4 lb (800 gr) salt cod

2 dried sweet peppers (pimientos choriceros)

1 large yellow onion

2 large cloves garlic

1/2 green bell pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

3 roasted piquillo peppers, or 2 roasted red bell peppers

7-8 oz (200-250 ml) tomato sauce

2-3 sprigs flat leaf parsley for garnish

PREPARATION

* Salt cod is cod fish preserved with salt, and is dry. Purchase salt cod in advance in gourmet and ethnic supermarkets, or on the internet. It must be soaked in water to leach out the salt, or it is inedible.

Soak Salt Cod. Rinse salt cod under cold running water and gently rub off salt. Cut fish into 3-inch pieces. Place in a glass baking dish and cover with cold water. Refrigerate. Change water every 8 hours or so for 24 to 36 hours.

This allows time for the salt to leach out of the fish.

Rinse salt cod under cold running water. Allow to drain on paper towels and pat dry if needed. Cut into 1-inch pieces and set aside.

The sweet dried peppers, called pimientos choriceros should be soaked in warm water for 30 minutes. Once rehydrated, drain the peppers. Then, open the peppers and scrape out the pulp and discard the skin, as it is too tough to eat.

Prepare the vegetables. Peel and chop the onion and garlic. Remove the seeds from the bell pepper and chop. Chop roasted peppers.

Cook the vegetables. Pour olive oil into a heavy-bottom frying pan and heat on medium. Sauté onion, garlic and green pepper until onion is translucent. Add roasted peppers and tomato sauce and simmer on low for about 5 minutes.

Cook the fish. Add salt cod to pan and mix well to coat fish. Simmer on low for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The fish should release water, making more sauce. Garnish with chopped flat leaf parsley.

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