COD, CHORIZO & CHICKPEA STEW
(Serves 4)
This hearty Spanish-style dish is best shared family-style. It's simple to make, vibrant, and infused with deep flavours and gentle spicing. Sop up the juices with warm crusty bread.
Ingredients
1 lb Fogo Island Cod fillets, cut into 4 pieces
4 tbsp olive oil
250g sliced Spanish chorizo
2 cups diced Spanish onions
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
2 bay leaves
125 mL Ruby Port*
400 g diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
1 L fish or chicken stock
1 tbsp sobrasada*
1 cup piquillos*
400g chickpeas (canned) or 200g dried chickpeas, cooked and strained )
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed 1”
100g smoked ham
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
Pinch of saffron
Kosher salt & black pepper to taste
1. In a large pan, heat the olive oil, then add onions and garlic. Lower heat and cook until soft and translucent. Add sliced chorizo and cook for a few more minutes until fat has rendered.
Then add the cubed potatoes, diced ham, smoked paprika, cumin, thyme and bay leaves.
2. Deglaze pan with port, then add diced tomatoes and stock, stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and simmer over low heat for about 10-15 minutes until potatoes are almost done. Add chickpeas to pan, stirring well.
3. In a small dish, place a pinch of saffron with a couple tablespoons of water to draw out colour and flavour. Then add to stew alongside piquillos, stir to combine. Cover and cook on medium low for an additional 10 minutes or until potatoes are fully cooked.
4. Season Fogo Island cod filets with salt and pepper. Then uncover the pan, adjust seasoning if necessary. Stir well and arrange pieces of cod on top of stew. Simmer for about 5 min until the fish is cooked.
5. Garnish with lots of chopped fresh parsley and serve with crusty bread to sop up all that delicious sauce!
NOTES
*Port can be substituted with red wine or dry sherry
**Sobrasada, can be substituted with n’duja. It is not a must in this dish but adds an extra layer of flavour!
*** Piquillos can be substituted with roasted red peppers.
