Fresh tuna-fish stewed with potatoes
(Marmitaco)
Four servings: 500 gm (1.1 lbs) of tuna fish
cut into 1-inch cubes; 3/4 potatoes (1.1lbs);
cut into 1-in chunks; 1 red pepper; cut into
brunoise; 1 green pepper; cut likewise;
tomato purée, 8 tbsp; 2 medium sized onions
cut into brunette; the pulp of a rehydrated
"pimiento chorizero" (a dried-up red pepper
used to color and flavor pork meat in the
production of chorizos)
Preparation: Start frying the onion dices in a
casserole on a medium heat ring and add
some salt; after some 10 minutes start
adding the red and green peppers, and stir
the ingredients with a spatula. Keep stewing
all the vegetables for a minimum of 5
minutes, and then add the tomato, and after
another 5 minutes add the potatoes, the pulp
of the rehydrated pepper (or its substitute)
and stew on a medium heat for 20 minutes.
Salt the tuna cubes before they are added to
the stew and allow a 2-minute cooking (no
more than that as the fish cubes would
become less juicy). This dish should be
consumed before it gets cold.
The origin of Marmitacoo, or Marmitako, can be found in the Basque fishing boats. In years gone by, cooks had very few ingredients on board to prepare a
good meal; so some fish, potatoes and little else were enough to keep the crew alive and kicking. Its name comes from the earthenware pot known as
"marmita", which is the casserole in which marmitako is prepared. It is indeed an excellent stew that is famous on all the northern part of Spain, and is also
known as Sorroputum in Cantabria, or Caldeirada in Galicia.