Cod with samfaina

Today I bring you one of the most traditional dishes of Catalan cuisine: cod with samfaina . We can prepare this recipe when the garden gives us the best vegetables, so during the summer and early autumn we can enjoy this recipe.

Samfaina is a typical Catalan sauce, a cousin of ratatouille, which can be served with anything : eggs, meat, fish, snails... we can even eat it on its own, dipping bread in it. Either way, it's delicious.

Samfaina is made from finely chopped vegetables, so I recommend using a good knife (one for vegetables and one for all-purpose use ) or, if you plan to make a lot, use a mandolin . To take care of your knives and keep them in perfect condition for a long time, it is very important to use a cutting board. You can find different types in the store, so I recommend you get one, if you don't already have one (I love bamboo ones , for their properties when it comes to keeping knives sharp but also for their antibacterial qualities).

And one last tip... prepare more samfaina than you need. You can freeze it in individual portions. I'm sure this will get you out of more than one tight spot!

Le Creuset Santoku Knife , Masterclass Round Wooden Board and Le Creuset Low Casserole Cocotte

Ingredients

• 800gr of cod loin
• 2 zucchini
• 1 eggplant
• 1 red onion
• 1 red pepper
• 500gr of tomato
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• Olive oil
• Salt
• 1 teaspoon of paprika from La Vera
• Flour

Elaboration

1. For this recipe we need desalted cod. To desalt it, cut the fillets into 1-serving pieces (I cut each fillet into 3 pieces), rinse them under the tap and put them in a bowl. Cover them with water and put them in the fridge. Leave them for 3 days in the same water. After this time, change the water for 3 days in a row. It is very important that the whole process is carried out in the cold. On the day you are going to cook it, drain it very well and dry it with kitchen paper to remove excess water.
2. To prepare the samfaina, cut the onions into strips. Wash the red pepper, eggplant and zucchini and cut them into 2cm cubes (this is where a mandolin like the Ultra comes in handy).
3. In a shallow cocotte , add a dash of olive oil and fry the pepper and onion with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes over a medium heat. After this time, add the courgette and aubergine. Also add the grated tomato, tomato concentrate and paprika from La Vera. Leave to cook covered over a low heat for an hour.
4. Meanwhile, flour the cod pieces and fry them in plenty of olive oil. You should fry quickly, as if you overcook it, the cod will become dry and tough. Set the cod pieces aside until you have the samfaina ready.
5. Once the samfaina is finished, season it with salt and add the cod pieces. Cook the whole mixture for 5 minutes.

Ready to serve, enjoy!