This Cod Stew with Pimenton & Chorizo is exactly the kind of cooking (and eating) I love.
I said I was going to stick with a simple “elemental” style for a few posts because I have felt like I have let the blogosphere lead me too far astray from the kinds of recipes I love most.
So here I am attempting to get off the blogger bandwagon and choose recipes and foods that absolutely appeal to me on a gut level.
Which means I may be standing out in the left field all alone for a while. I might lose readers. But I don’t mind (pant, pant, sweat, sweat). Because I am in a place right now where I am trying to remember why it is I started this blog.
I’m pretty sure I started this blog because I love food and I love eating. That sounds about right. But then I got caught up in getting people to notice my blog. Which means I spent too much time trying to find recipes I thought other people would like. You know the recipes I mean, so don’t make me humiliate myself any further. At least I never went as far as healthy snacks for kids; but really, let’s be honest, I don’t care what kids eat. Does that make me a bad person?
So here’s what I’ve decided, these next few weeks are about taking back my blog. Taking it back from the advertisers. Taking it back from the publicists. Taking it back from the me that doesn’t trust himself as much as he used to.
Food should evoke some sort of feeling. I believe that. So the food we choose should make us feel something. The foods that I can get passionate about are often recipes that I call elemental– because each ingredient can stand on its own. Sure each can (and should) contribute to the success of the whole dish, but if they can’t stand alone, on their own– then an opportunity is being missed. Because we should all be able to stand alone, on our own. Even when cooked in the same pot.
Which brings me to today’s Cod Stew with Pimenton & Chorizo. And though I am calling this a stew. I have left all the elements rather large, and individually identifiable. Each onion, each piece of red pepper, even the fish itself will need to be cut in order to eat it. I believe this reinforces the elemental style I am going for because it forces me to slow down and choose what my next bite is going to be.
Giving me plenty of time to figure out how I can “sell this post” as a healthy snack for kids!
Cod Stew with Pimenton & Chorizo serves 4 CLICK here for a printable recipe
Spanish pimenton is a type of smoked paprika and gives this dish its unique flavor. Adapted from Raquel Carena.
- 1⁄4 c extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 red bell peppers, cored and quartered lengthwise
- 1 large yellow onion, trimmed at top and bottom, peeled and quartered lengthwise
- 2 roma tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
- 1⁄2 t fennel seeds
- 1 t spanish pimenton powder
- 1 8‑inch piece of dry cured spanish choizo, cut into bit size pieces
- salt and pepper as needed
- 1/2 t red wine vinegar
- 4 (6oz) cod fillets
- fennel fronds as garnish, optional
Cod Stew Instructions
Over medium heat, warm a medium-sized Dutch oven with a lid. Add the oil, the peppers, onions, tomatoes, fennel seeds, pimenton, and the chorizo. Stir to coat. Add 1 cup water and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Let vegetables simmer with the lid closed for one hour, stirring occasionally, but carefully to keep the pieces large, until the vegetables become very soft. Taste the accumulated broth and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper. Add the red wine vinegar. Gently stir to incorporate.
Carefully lay the fish pieces on top of the vegetables. Try to keep the fish pieces from touching each other. Cover and cook again for ten minutes until the fish is no longer translucent.
Carefully place each piece of fish into each of four shallow serving bowls. Add some tomato, red pepper, and chorizo pieces. Spoon some broth on top of each piece of fish. Garnish with optional fennel fronds. Serve immediately.
Notes
Dry-cured Italian salami is a fine substitute for Spanish chorizo. Just add an extra pinch of pimenton.
I would really like the recipe for sauteed marsala mushrooms with shallots, garlic etc.. it is a restaurant appetizer, but I would like the exact recipe…Thank you so very much…Lorraine Mosley.…
Fun! Good for you, I love mushrooms.
P.S. You sound like me when I get a cookbok to review. 🙂
in your new post as mushroom king. I look forward to many great recipes. I have a love hate relationship with mushrooms, but if you remember I can’t get enough of those chanterelles.
I’m a little late to the game but congrats, Greg. I know you’ll deliver on some wonderful recipes for the Mushroom Channel. I like this particular one because, besides the all the other ingredients I like, it includes dry mustard. I keep it in my pantry but I haven’t figured out many uses for it. This is a keeper for me. At some point a few years ago, I got turned off on raw mushrooms but I LOVE them cooked. Congrats again. 🙂
I am a huge lover of mushrooms of all shapes and sizes. I can’t wait to see what delicious recipes you unveil over the course of your gig with the mushroom channel. Congrats! — S
Greg!!!!!!
I was so excited to see I’d made the cut, and even more excited to see that I was in such good company! Congrats to you & the rest of our crew! And major NOM on the stroganoff, btw… I recently posted a seitan & mushroom stroganoff recipe on PGEW and this is making me crave some for dinner all over again!
See ya on The Mushroom Channel!
🙂 Kimberly
Love the post, we’re so excited for your contributions to the Mushroom Channel this year!
How awesome, congratulations on the new gig! I can’t wait to see the recipes, I love mushrooms too.
Congratulations!! Mushroom Channel is very lucky to have you!!! Since I also a lover of funghi I can’t wait to see what you all come up with!!!
Thank you for posting this. I, like you, am a total mushroom fanatic. Yum!
Can’t wait to check you and your recipes out. Congrats on the gig!
good news…
and I love SippitySup and some of those other bloggers…so I’ll be looking forward to The Mushroom Channel.
I wish someone would pay me to eat and blog 🙂 No, really!
You know my dorky sense of humor found your funghi joke to be hilarious.
Very cool news about the mushroom gig. We have a specialty mushroom store here in town, I need to go by there and check out what goods they have. Your mushroom stroganoff is an excellent variation on the traditional dish.
Congrats on the new gig — how exciting! I too love mushrooms and am anticipating all the marvelous mouthwatering mushroom creations you and the team devise! This mushroom stroganoff is a beautiful start — who needs beef with those meaty mushrooms?
This sounds like a wonderful opportunity! Can’t wait to see your mushroom dishes! This is such a great one to start it off. Love it.
Congrats!! I’m a shitake freak, so keep that in mind if you need any local testers. : )
Congrats on your new gig Greg!!!!!The first year I went to BlogHer Food in San Franscisco I was invited to join the people of The Mushroom Channel for appies at a local restaurant. Many delicious appetizers later I had met the staff at the time.
Congrats on your new gig — that is super exciting! I adore mushrooms and will look forward to checking into the new channel. Your first contribution of the mushroom stroganoff looks divine. Enjoy your weekend!
Exciting, Greg! Congrats. I love mushrooms too, so I’m looking forward to reading your creations.
That’s fantastic news! Congratulations! You’re very talented and deserve some compensation for the creative recipes you develop.
I know you’ll have fun with this new gig, and all of your readers will enjoy the new mushroom recipes (like your beautiful mushroom stroganoff presented here!).