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1
Desalt and Flake the Cod
Overnight + 10 Mins
Cold water, fridge 0–4°C (32–39°F)
The day before cooking, put the salt cod in a large bowl, cover with cold water and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, changing the water 2 to 3 times. On the day, drain, rinse well and pat dry. Flake the cod into large chunks, about 5 cm across, removing any bones or skin. Skipping the soak leaves the dish inedibly salty — this step cannot be rushed.
Change the soaking water on a schedule, not when you remember: fresh water each time pulls out far more salt.
Done when: The cod flakes easily and tastes pleasantly salty, not harsh.
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2
Build the Sofrito
10 Mins
Medium heat, ~175°C (350°F)
Heat half the olive oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion, green pepper and garlic with the sweet paprika and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until the onion is soft and the paprika smells sweet and toasty. Pour in the tomato sauce and cook for 2 minutes more until it darkens slightly.
Keep the paprika moving in the oil — it burns in seconds if it sits still on the hot pot.
Done when: The sofrito is soft, glossy and brick-red, with the raw onion smell gone.
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3
Layer the Potatoes and Cod
5 Mins
No heat
Spread the sliced potatoes over the bottom of the pot in an even layer. Arrange the cod chunks on top, then scatter over the roasted red pepper strips, sliced olives and capers. Pour in the remaining olive oil, the water and the white wine, then the pimiento liquid, and tuck in the bay leaf. Do not stir from this point on.
Potatoes on the bottom protect the cod from the direct heat and cook in the sauce below it.
Done when: The pot is layered — potatoes, cod, peppers, olives and capers — with liquid just reaching the cod.
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4
Simmer Until Tender
30 Mins
Low simmer, ~95°C (200°F)
Bring the pot to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low, cover, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes without stirring, until the potatoes are fork-tender and the sauce has thickened. The cod is done when it flakes easily and reaches at least 63°C (145°F) in the thickest piece. Shake the pot gently by the handles now and then instead of stirring, so the cod does not break apart.
Resist the spoon: stirring turns the cod to shreds and clouds the sauce. A gentle shake of the pot is all it needs.
Done when: The potatoes are tender, the sauce coats a spoon, and the cod flakes at 63°C (145°F) or above.
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5
Rest and Serve
5 Mins
Off the heat
Remove the bay leaf. Let the pot rest, covered, for 5 minutes so the sauce settles. Taste and adjust the salt only now — the cod, olives and capers already bring plenty. Spoon into wide bowls over white rice, sprinkle with the chopped parsley, and serve with crusty bread.
Taste before adding any salt at all: most batches need none, and a salty vizcaína cannot be fixed.
Done when: The stew holds its layers in the bowl, with red sauce, pale cod and green olives all visible.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the stew hot in wide bowls, with the sauce spooned generously over the top. The pot is at its best the same day, but the flavours deepen overnight — it is one of the few fish stews that improves on the second day.
Cuba
3h
