17.6.08

Marmitako, reloaded

Ok, I´m not proud to admit this, but the Blogs of Note mention has gone to my head. I want to post all the time, anything, and keep those stats up.
However, I´m crazily busy. And there´s also the little thing of my fidelity. I don´t want to sound boring, but I tend to make my favourite things over and over, so it´s not like I can post new recipes every day for very long.
I´ve therefore decided to be a little sneaky, and re-post some of the old recipes from the dark ages of this blog, two years ago. But in order not to bore my faithful readers (hi, mum!), the drawings will be new, and everyone´s happy with that, I hope.
This is for marmitako, a beautiful bonito and potato stew from the Basque Country, up north. Now that white tuna´s in season, and hopefully not too expensive, you just have to make it.

Marmitako

1 kg potatoes
1 kg bonito (albacore), cleaned and cut into bite sized chunks
2 tomatoes, grated
2 onions, choppoed
1 red pepper (green is more orthodox, but I like red), choped
1 garlic clove, chopped
Fish stock (1 litre)
olive oil, salt, pepper

Cover the bottom of a heavy pan with olive oil. Sautee the onion and garlic. When they´re slightly transparent, add the pepper, and a couple of minutes later, the tomato, the salt and some sugar (just a little, while nobody´s looking, and maybe a splash of wine).
Leave it to become a pulpy mess, around 15 minutes. Be patient, because it will be much more delicious, and you´ll be peeling the potatoes , anyway.
Cut them into chunks, but don´t cut the whole way. Make a small indentation, and turn the knife so that the potato is torn, not cut. This will make the starch seep into the broth and thicken it.
Put the potatoes into the sofrito, and add the stock. If it doesn´t cover, add water.
Let the potatoes cook. It will take around 20 minutes.
When they´re done, put the salted tuna chunks inside. Cover, and wait 5 minutes. If they´re not too big, they should be cooked to perfection.

If the broth is very liquid, crush a few of the potatoes in a bowl, and put them back.

This,with a green salad and some crusty bread, will serve four hungry people who´ve been out fishing all day. Or six poor citybound souls, if one of them has brought pudding.

22 comentarios:

Anónimo dijo...

Hello,
Very nice Blog you have here!

Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) dijo...

Any excuse to see more of your wonderful illustrations!!! And you know that many of us might have missed the very first recipes you posted, so it's nice to have another opportunity to see them.

Pille dijo...

Lydia is absolutely right - it's perfectly acceptable to resurface old posts, as we may have missed them (and as they simply deserve it). I've done it. I know many big bloggers who've done it:)
And this sounds like a delicios fish soup - gracias!!

xps dijo...

qué buena idea.

Raquel dijo...

Esta sí la he probado, claro. ¡Que viva la temporada del atún!

maybelles mom dijo...

this could be good veg too.

ErinT Fashion Accessories dijo...

Love the new drawings, and can't wait to try out that yummy recipe!

Kalyn Denny dijo...

You absolutely deserve to be featured as a blog of note, so don't worry about being proud! You should be proud of your fine blog. Congrats!

Anónimo dijo...

Hi Ximena! I second Lydia's remark heartily. I can guess why you like to turn to your favourites too - I tried making the slow-roasted pork, your style, and I am proud to announce that the family loves it! You are THE reason why I am really hoping to visit Spain :)

LE BLOG dijo...

No puedo con tus dibujos; me shiflan, estás más loca que nunca!!!!

Pinku dijo...

hi! congrats on being blogger of note...

i went thru some of ur posts and realised u completely deserve the honour.

Many of the ingredients u mention are not available in my country (India) but the way u write about things make them very tempting and i am desperate to try.

Ur chicken sandwich being one of the things I can try am looking forward to a satisfying sunday brunch.

Unknown dijo...

Yummm! You have a nice little blog, I don't blame you for staying up at night!

Unknown dijo...

YUMMY! Count me in, if I was ever able to cook without the firemen coming over.

Laurie dijo...

Just love love love your illustrations! Congrats on the "Blogs of Note" listing!! You're very talented... keep it up.

ChichaJo dijo...

You definitely deserve the blog of note and you should be proud :) And of course, we want to see more illustrations! :) As for resurfacing some old posts...all the better for those of us who have missed them...like this super delicious fish dish!

lobstersquad dijo...

Anon: thanks!
Lydia: glad you approve.
Pille: yes, I guess it´s a legit thing to do.
xps: fresquísima
Guru: viva!!!
Maybelles: well, then it wouldn´t be marmitako but just stewed potatoes. but nice.
Erint: thanks, I hope you enjoy it.
Kalyn: that´s so sweet of you, thanks!
San: oh, that pork! so delicious. I hope you do come to Spain, that´d be such fun.
Le blog: pero si estos son de lo más normalines!
Pinku: I have the same with Indian recipes, but somehow I stick with the method and come up with really cool stuff. I hope the sandwich was good.
Laura: oh, I try to get my eight hours, never fear!
Jacqueline: I´ll stand by with the buckets of water, don´t worry.
Laurie: thanks!
Chichajo: I enjoy reading up old stuff on other blogs, so why not?

Anónimo dijo...

dude that sounds awesome and not too hard actually or expensive.... my mouth is watering now thanks a lot. I am going to make this tomorrow.

Anónimo dijo...

This is similar to a potato salad I had in Andalucia--same ingredients but different preparation. Any chance you are familiar and have that in your archives?

lobstersquad dijo...

Anonymous: Hi.
I think you mean potato salad, or "papas aliñás". It´s more like salade niçoise than marmitako, all you have to do is boil potatoes and add stuff you like (onions, peppers, tomatoes, tuna) and then dress it with salt and vinegar and way more olive oil that you´d think advisable.

Anónimo dijo...

Muchas gracias!
That's what I figured, just wanted to see if there was any secret to it--sound like a good Spanish olive oil is the only must.

Sameer Mahoolkar dijo...

.

excellent ink outlines.
:-)
all the best

.

Cannelle Et Vanille dijo...

marmitako... joe... uno de mis platos favoritos... que nostalgia... y esas ilustraciones de dantzaris... ene ama! (se nota que soy vasca no?)

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