One of the main things I enjoy about the cookbook, “Tu Casa Mi Casa,” is how it takes me out of my comfort zone of rice, beans, and tacos and enables me to explore a wider array of Mexican cooking. For example, I used to be intimidated to cook fish, but this rustic one-pot Veracruz-Style Cod Stew flavored with fresh lemon, olives, capers, and pickled peppers is worth facing my anxiety (and overcoming it!)
Veracruz-Style Cod Stew
Once the novelty of using salt cod wore off, this recipe is really quite easy to prepare. I learned that any dish served "a la veracruzana" is served with a mild tomato sauce prepared with olives and capers. It's a slightly tangy and mildly spicy stew that includes sweet bell pepper and smooth baby potatoes.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time50 mins
De-salting the cod12 hrs
Servings: 4
Calories: 449kcal
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb salt cod no bones or skin
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 bunch green onion sliced
- 10 plum tomatoes very ripe, roughly chopped
- 1/2 lb baby or fingerling potatoes cut into bite-size pieces (quartered)
- 4-6 pickled jalapeno or banana peppers depending on desired spiciness
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 4 tbsp pitted green olives chopped rough
- 4 tbsp capers or caper berries
- 4 bay leaves
- 2 lemons sliced
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds blanched
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- De-salt the cod: place the cod in fresh water and allow it to soak for at least 12 hours or up to 2 days. Change the water at least three times during this process.
- Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch Oven or large pot. Add the green onion and fry until it starts to brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and cook until they start to break down, about 10 minutes.
- Reduce heat to a simmer; add the cod and the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook until the potatoes are cooked through, 20-30 minutes.
- If the liquid begins to evaporating too quickly, add water (this dish is a stew and should be soupy). Add salt to taste.
Notes
This recipe comes from “Tu Casa Mi Casa” by Enrique Olvera. We adapted it a bit to make it low-FODMAP.
The stew is hearty enough to be served on it’s own, or with a scoop of rice or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
