Marmitako de bonito, the most popular Basque stew by Karlos Arguiñano
The Basque marmitako recipe that Karlos Arguiñano has kept alive on television for decades.
- 800 grams of northern bonito in loins
- 150 grams of fresh chili peppers
- 5 potatoes
- 1 spring onion
- 1 green pepper
- 1 red pepper
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 150 milliliters tomato sauce
- 75 milliliters of white vermouth
- 1 piece of red chili pepper (cayenne)
- extra virgin olive oil
- shall
- pepper
- parsley
- Heat 1.5 liters of water in a large saucepan. Clean the bonito by removing the skin and bones. Set the bonito aside, and add the bones and skin to the saucepan. Add a few sprigs of parsley as well. Season and cook for 8-10 minutes. Strain and reserve the broth.
- Heat 3-4 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan. Peel and finely chop the garlic cloves and add them to the pan. Dice the spring onion and add it as well. Remove the stem and seeds from the green bell pepper, dice it, and add it to the pan. Remove the stem and seeds from the red bell pepper, peel it, dice it, and add it to the pan. Season and sauté the vegetables over medium heat for about 15 minutes.
- Pour in the vermouth and bring to a boil (to evaporate the alcohol). Peel the potatoes, roughly chop them, and add them to the pot. Add the piece of red chili pepper, the stock, and the tomato sauce. Cook the ingredients over low heat for 30-35 minutes.
- Cut the bonito into cubes, season with salt and pepper, and add them to the pot. Cover, turn off the heat, and let it rest for 3 minutes. Remove the lid and sprinkle the marmitako with some chopped parsley.
- Heat oil (8 tablespoons) in a frying pan. Add the chili peppers and fry them briefly (2-3 minutes). Remove them to a plate and season.
- Divide the marmitako among 4 deep plates and serve with the fried chili peppers. Garnish the plates with a few parsley leaves.
Tuna marmitako is a classic dish all along the Cantabrian coast (every Basque person prepares it at some point during the year). It's a dish that's always a hit and one of Karlos Arguiñano's favorites.
Arguiñano shows you how to easily prepare this traditional Basque stew and suggests serving it with fresh fried chili peppers. Follow the step-by-step instructions and surprise everyone with this recipe from Basque cuisine.
Prepare the broth and set aside
Heat a liter and a half of water in a large saucepan. Clean the bonito by removing the skin and bones.
Set the bonito aside, and add the bones and skin to the pot. Add a few sprigs of parsley as well. Season and cook for 8-10 minutes. Strain and reserve the broth.
Sauté the vegetables
Heat 3-4 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan. Peel the garlic cloves, mince them finely, and add them. Dice the spring onion and add it. Remove the stem and seeds from the green pepper.
Dice it and add it. Remove the stem and seeds from the red bell pepper, peel it, dice it, and add it.
Season and sauté the vegetables over medium heat for approximately 15 minutes.
Add the potatoes and broth
Pour in the vermouth, bring to a boil (to evaporate the alcohol). Peel the potatoes, chop them (by breaking them) and add them to the pot.
Add the piece of red chili pepper, the stock, and the tomato sauce. Cook the ingredients over low heat for 30-35 minutes.
Add the bonito loins
Cut the bonito into cubes, season with salt and pepper, and add them to the pot. Cover, turn off the heat, and let it rest for 3 minutes.
Remove the lid and sprinkle the marmitako with some chopped parsley.
