Roast cod with chickpeas, smoked paprika and spinach

30 mins

4 people

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

30 mins

A traditional Spanish Easter dish called ‘potaje de vigilia’ which is typically served on Good Friday. The dish uses salt cod as the main ingredient following the catholic prohibition of eating meat on this day. It is considered to be the most popular dish within Spain’s Easter gastronomy. I have modernised this recipe slightly and introduced fresh cod loin which is widely available, although monkfish, sea bass or even salmon will also work really well too. The original recipe uses dried chickpeas, soaked in water the day before and then slowly cooked with garlic, onions, bay leaf and paprika for around 2.5 hours. Instead, I have used tinned chickpeas to make the dish far quicker to make.

Ingredients
Method

4 pieces of fresh cod loin, weighing 125g each
400g tinned chickpeas, drained and washed
1 medium size onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp of Spanish sweet paprika
1 bay leaf
100ml chicken stock
2 large handfuls of baby spinach, washed
2 hardboiled eggs, cut into quarters
½ tbsp of finely chopped flat leaf parsley
4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp of unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste

In medium size pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and add the garlic and onion and fry gently until soft and translucent. Add the paprika and bay leaf, lower the heat and cook for about 30 seconds, be careful not to burn the paprika. Add the tinned chickpeas and cook for a couple of minutes to ensure they are well coated with the spice mix. Add the chicken stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes on a low heat. Finally add the spinach and parsley and stir gently until the spinach is wilted, season with salt and keep warm.
Pre-heat your oven to 200℃/400°F/Gas Mark 6. In a large non-stick frying pan, heat one tablespoon of the oil over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, place the cod fillets into the pan, skin-side down, and fry until the skin is crisp and golden-brown, it takes about 3 to 4 minutes. Season the flesh side with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Carefully turn the fillets over and continue to fry for about 2 minutes, add the butter at this point. Transfer the cod fillets into your oven and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until just cooked through. The cod is cooked through when the flesh is opaque.
To serve, gently heat the chickpea and spinach stew and spoon into four large bowls, place one piece of roast cod on top of each serving, garnish with the hard-boiled eggs quarters and drizzle with some good quality extra virgin olive oil.

Ingredients

4 pieces of fresh cod loin, weighing 125g each
400g tinned chickpeas, drained and washed
1 medium size onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp of Spanish sweet paprika
1 bay leaf
100ml chicken stock
2 large handfuls of baby spinach, washed
2 hardboiled eggs, cut into quarters
½ tbsp of finely chopped flat leaf parsley
4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp of unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

In medium size pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and add the garlic and onion and fry gently until soft and translucent. Add the paprika and bay leaf, lower the heat and cook for about 30 seconds, be careful not to burn the paprika. Add the tinned chickpeas and cook for a couple of minutes to ensure they are well coated with the spice mix. Add the chicken stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes on a low heat. Finally add the spinach and parsley and stir gently until the spinach is wilted, season with salt and keep warm.
Pre-heat your oven to 200℃/400°F/Gas Mark 6. In a large non-stick frying pan, heat one tablespoon of the oil over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, place the cod fillets into the pan, skin-side down, and fry until the skin is crisp and golden-brown, it takes about 3 to 4 minutes. Season the flesh side with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Carefully turn the fillets over and continue to fry for about 2 minutes, add the butter at this point. Transfer the cod fillets into your oven and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until just cooked through. The cod is cooked through when the flesh is opaque.
To serve, gently heat the chickpea and spinach stew and spoon into four large bowls, place one piece of roast cod on top of each serving, garnish with the hard-boiled eggs quarters and drizzle with some good quality extra virgin olive oil.

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Javier De La Hormaza

Javier is a Basque born, trained chef and hospitality professional, owner of Basco Fine Foods, a Spanish food and drink importer based in Yorkshire. He regularly runs client food and drink events around the country and he is a course tutor at Hartingtons of Bakewell cookery school. Javier's passion lies on bringing quality Spanish ingredients and recipes to as many people as possible.

Twitter: @bascofinefoods
Instagram: @mrbasco