Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Soak salted cod fish in 2 quarts cold water for 8 hours, changing water 3 times. Drain well. Cut cod into bite-sized pieces. Season generously with Spanglish Asadero All Purpose Seasoning.
- In a large heavy pot, layer ingredients in this order (half at a time): potatoes, seasoned cod, onions, sliced hard-boiled eggs, capers, minced garlic, green olives, roasted red peppers, golden raisins. Place bay leaf on top of raisins.
- Pour half the tomato sauce and half the olive oil over the first layer. Repeat layers in the same order (skip bay leaf on second layer).
- Pour water and white wine over everything. Do not stir.
- Cover pot and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer covered 30–40 minutes until potatoes are tender and flavors meld.
- Remove from heat. Let rest 5–10 minutes.
- Serve warm in bowls, spooning broth over top. Garnish with extra cilantro or olives if desired.
Nutrition
Notes
- Soak the cod fully — 8 hours minimum with 3 water changes. Under-soaked bacalao is aggressively salty in a way that throws the whole dish off. If you're pressed for time, 4 hours with 4–5 water changes can work; taste a small piece before it goes in the pot to check the salt level.
- Layer, don't stir — the recipe builds alternating layers for a reason. Stirring collapses the structure and muddies the broth. Put the lid on and leave it alone.
- Season the cod generously before layering — Spanglish Asadero All Purpose Seasoning goes on the fish before it goes in the pot. That's your only real seasoning moment; the stew doesn't get adjusted at the end.
- Use a heavy pot — a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot holds steady heat through the simmer. A thin-bottomed pan will scorch the bottom layer before the potatoes cook through.
- Check the potatoes, not the clock — doneness here is about the potatoes. A fork should slip through a thick slice easily. If they're still firm at 40 minutes, give it 5–10 more.
- Rest before serving — 5 to 10 minutes off heat. The broth tightens slightly and the layers settle. Worth the wait.
- Serve in wide, shallow bowls with crusty bread to work through the broth. White rice is the most natural base — it absorbs the tomato-olive oil broth cleanly and stretches the yield without diluting the dish.
- If you want to finish with something bright, a squeeze of lemon over the bowl right before serving wakes up the whole plate. Fresh flat-leaf parsley works as a garnish. Cilantro if you want to lean into the Spanglish Asadero angle — it fits.
- A simple green salad with sharp vinaigrette keeps the rest of the plate from going too heavy. This stew has enough going on that it doesn't need much else alongside it.
- Bacalao a la Vizcaina keeps well — the flavors deepen after a day in the refrigerator. Store in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently in a covered pot over low heat with a splash of water or broth to loosen the liquid. Don't rush it at high heat — salt cod tightens and can turn rubbery. The microwave works on medium power, covered.
- The hard-boiled eggs are the most fragile element on reheat. They can get chalky after a day or two — not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing going in.