Bacalao a la Vizcaína (Salt Cod Stew with Tomato, Pepper and Olives)

• 500 g Salted cod, boneless if possible
• 600 g Mixed baby potatoes
• 1 large Yellow onion
• 3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 2 medium Red pepper
• 800 g Tomato, ripe
• 2 Bay leaves
• 120 g Green pitted olives
• 2 tbsp Capers
• ½ tsp Fine sea salt
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• 10 g Fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Rinse the salted cod, then cover with cold water in a large pot and soak for 8 to 12 hours, changing the water 2 to 3 times. Drain, rinse again, and cut into large pieces. Taste a small flake; it should be pleasantly seasoned, not aggressively salty.
2. Put the potatoes in the pot, cover with fresh cold water, and bring to the boil. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes until just tender, then drain and set aside. When cool enough to handle, halve any larger potatoes so they cook evenly in the stew.
3. Finely chop the onion and slice the garlic. Deseed the red peppers and cut into thin strips. Roughly chop the tomatoes.
4. Heat the olive oil in the pot over a medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of the fine sea salt and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic for 1 minute until fragrant.
5. Add the red pepper and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until softened. Tip in the tomatoes, bay leaves and black pepper, then bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the tomatoes break down.
6. Nestle the cod into the sauce and add the potatoes. Pour in just enough water to barely cover the contents, then return to a gentle simmer. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the cod flakes easily and the potatoes are tender, keeping the heat low so the fish stays in large pieces.
7. Stir in the olives and capers and simmer for 5 minutes to bring the flavours together. Taste and adjust with a little more fine sea salt only if needed. Remove the bay leaves.
8. Finely chop the parsley and stir most of it through the stew. Rest off the heat for 5 minutes so the sauce settles. Serve hot, scattered with the remaining parsley.

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