Abadejo a la Sidra con Patatas Bravas (Haddock in Cider with Fiery Potatoes)
This is essentially fish and chips in basic terms but it's also so much more than that. As is probably quite apparent to those who follow my blog closely I have a bit of a love affair with Spanish cuisine and this dish is one of my favourites to make and eat, especially when entertaining.
The fish is cooked in a flavour-packed, unctuous sauce which not only allows the flavour to permeate through the flesh but also keeps it tender and juicy, just the way fish should be. Traditionally, this is made with cod ('bacalao') but I prefer the flavour of haddock so feel free to use any white fish you like.The 'chips' are probably one of Spain's most famous exports and if you've ever been to a tapas bar then you will have almost certainly ordered them. However, this recipe is for the real thing and once you've had authentic you won't go back.
Bacalao a la Sidra con Patatas Bravas (Cod in Cider with Fiery Potatoes)
Serves 4
For the patatas bravas:
1 whole garlic bulb
2 free-range egg yolks
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
good pinch of salt
200ml light flavoured oil, such as rapeseed or vegetable
4 large maris piper potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
olive oil
1 small Spanish onion, finely chopped
3-4 thin green chillies, finely chopped
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp pimentón (sweet paprika)
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp sherry vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the haddock:
100ml olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 leek, trimmed and finely sliced
1 dried cayenne chilli or 1 tbsp dried chilli flakes
1 tsp salt
1 chicken stock cube
1 heaped tsp plain flour
small pinch of saffron strands (optional)
300ml vintage cider (still and dry)
200ml water
4 x skinless, boneless haddock fillets (around 250g each)
To serve:
Sensational Spanish-style Peas (optional)
You can make the alioli in advance as it will keep in the fridge for a week. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. Cut 1cm off the top of the garlic bulb to expose the cloves and discard. Loosely wrap the garlic in foil and roast in the oven for 45 minutes, or until very soft. Leave to cool, then squeeze the softened cloves from the skins. Crush the cloves on a chopping board with the side of a large knife to form a paste. Place the crushed garlic into a food processor along with the salt, vinegar and egg yolks. Turn the processor on and blend into a smooth paste. With the blade still running, add the rapeseed oil very slowly, drop by drop, until you have a thick, glossy and emulsified sauce. Keep in the fridge until needed.
When you're ready to make the meal, preheat the oven to 200C.
Place the potatoes in a pan of boiling water over a high heat and cook for around 15 minutes until soft. Drain thoroughly and then transfer to a baking tray with 4 tbsp of olive oil and a good amount of salt and pepper. Put in the oven for 30-45 minutes while you prepare the rest of the meal.
For the bravas sauce, put the olive oil into a large frying pan, add the onions and gently fry over a medium-low heat until golden and soft (about 7 minutes). Put in the chillies and cook for another 2-3 minutes, then add the tomatoes, bay leaf, sugar, pimentón and cayenne pepper. Bring to the boil, then turn down to simmer for 20 minutes.
For the cod, heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and gently fry the garlic, onion and leeks in the olive oil for 10 minutes until soft but not coloured. Increase the heat to high and add the chilli, salt, stock cube, flour and saffron (if using) and cook for a further 2 minutes. Pour in the cider, turn up the heat to high and cook until the liquid has reduced to one third then add the water. Using a hand blender or by transfering the sauce to a food processor, blitz until completely smooth. Turn the oven down to 180C, place the 4 cod pieces in a roasting tray, pour over the sauce and cook for 10 minutes.
To serve, place a cod fillet on each plate and pour over plenty of sauce, give everyone a good pile of the potatoes with a large spoonful of the bravas sauce and a dollop of the alioli and I like to serve mine with Spanish-style peas (recipe in the link above).
The fish is cooked in a flavour-packed, unctuous sauce which not only allows the flavour to permeate through the flesh but also keeps it tender and juicy, just the way fish should be. Traditionally, this is made with cod ('bacalao') but I prefer the flavour of haddock so feel free to use any white fish you like.The 'chips' are probably one of Spain's most famous exports and if you've ever been to a tapas bar then you will have almost certainly ordered them. However, this recipe is for the real thing and once you've had authentic you won't go back.
Serves 4
For the patatas bravas:
1 whole garlic bulb
2 free-range egg yolks 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
good pinch of salt
200ml light flavoured oil, such as rapeseed or vegetable
4 large maris piper potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
olive oil
1 small Spanish onion, finely chopped
3-4 thin green chillies, finely chopped
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp pimentón (sweet paprika)
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp sherry vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the haddock:
100ml olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 leek, trimmed and finely sliced
1 dried cayenne chilli or 1 tbsp dried chilli flakes
1 tsp salt
1 chicken stock cube
1 heaped tsp plain flour
small pinch of saffron strands (optional)
300ml vintage cider (still and dry)
200ml water
4 x skinless, boneless haddock fillets (around 250g each)
To serve:
Sensational Spanish-style Peas (optional)
You can make the alioli in advance as it will keep in the fridge for a week. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. Cut 1cm off the top of the garlic bulb to expose the cloves and discard. Loosely wrap the garlic in foil and roast in the oven for 45 minutes, or until very soft. Leave to cool, then squeeze the softened cloves from the skins. Crush the cloves on a chopping board with the side of a large knife to form a paste. Place the crushed garlic into a food processor along with the salt, vinegar and egg yolks. Turn the processor on and blend into a smooth paste. With the blade still running, add the rapeseed oil very slowly, drop by drop, until you have a thick, glossy and emulsified sauce. Keep in the fridge until needed.
When you're ready to make the meal, preheat the oven to 200C.
Place the potatoes in a pan of boiling water over a high heat and cook for around 15 minutes until soft. Drain thoroughly and then transfer to a baking tray with 4 tbsp of olive oil and a good amount of salt and pepper. Put in the oven for 30-45 minutes while you prepare the rest of the meal.
For the bravas sauce, put the olive oil into a large frying pan, add the onions and gently fry over a medium-low heat until golden and soft (about 7 minutes). Put in the chillies and cook for another 2-3 minutes, then add the tomatoes, bay leaf, sugar, pimentón and cayenne pepper. Bring to the boil, then turn down to simmer for 20 minutes.
For the cod, heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and gently fry the garlic, onion and leeks in the olive oil for 10 minutes until soft but not coloured. Increase the heat to high and add the chilli, salt, stock cube, flour and saffron (if using) and cook for a further 2 minutes. Pour in the cider, turn up the heat to high and cook until the liquid has reduced to one third then add the water. Using a hand blender or by transfering the sauce to a food processor, blitz until completely smooth. Turn the oven down to 180C, place the 4 cod pieces in a roasting tray, pour over the sauce and cook for 10 minutes.
To serve, place a cod fillet on each plate and pour over plenty of sauce, give everyone a good pile of the potatoes with a large spoonful of the bravas sauce and a dollop of the alioli and I like to serve mine with Spanish-style peas (recipe in the link above).
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