Bacalao a la Vizcaína Navideño (Christmas Salt Cod Stew)

• 600 g Salted cod, skinless and boneless if possible
• 700 g New potatoes
• 1 large Yellow onion
• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 2 tbsp Guajillo chili powder
• 800 g Tomato, ripe
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 large Red pepper
• 120 g Green pitted olives
• 2 tbsp Capers
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• 1 pinch Fine sea salt, only if needed after tasting

1. Rinse the salted cod, then cover with cold water in a large bowl and soak for 8 to 12 hours, changing the water 2 to 3 times. Drain well. Taste a small flake and if it is still very salty, soak for a little longer.
2. Put the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until just tender, then drain and set aside. When cool enough to handle, peel if you like and cut into bite-sized pieces.
3. Slice the onion and peel the garlic. Heat the olive oil in the pot over a medium heat, then cook the onion with a pinch of salt for 8 to 10 minutes until soft and sweet, stirring regularly. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
4. Stir in the guajillo chili powder and cook for 30 seconds to bloom the spice. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, then bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce looks glossy.
5. Carefully blend the sauce until smooth, then return it to the pot over a low heat. If your blender is small, do this in batches and keep the sauce hot but not boiling. Season with the black pepper.
6. Cut the red pepper into strips. Add the pepper, olives and capers to the sauce and simmer for 10 minutes until the pepper is tender but still has a little bite. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
7. Add the soaked cod and the cooked potatoes to the pot, nestling them into the sauce. Simmer gently for 12 to 15 minutes until the cod is opaque and flakes easily, and the potatoes are coated in the sauce. Taste and add fine sea salt only if needed.
8. Rest the stew off the heat for 10 minutes so the flavours settle and the sauce thickens slightly. Remove the bay leaves. Serve hot, spooning plenty of sauce over each portion.

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