TABELIAAUTHENTIC RECIPE
MarmitakoBasque Skipjack Tuna and Potato Stew
A dish from the Basque coast in which skipjack tuna is added to a potato and vegetable stew at the end. It combines the potatoes’ natural thickening with careful cooking that keeps the fish from overcooking.
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Ingredients (4 servings)
- Skipjack tuna (skinless, boneless flesh)600 g
- Potatoes800 g
- Onion250 g
- Green pepper150 g
- Red bell pepper150 g
- Tomatoes250 g
- Garlic10 g
- Olive oil60 ml
- Sweet paprika4 g
- Water800 ml
- Salt8 g
Method
Prepare the fish and vegetables
- 1 Remove the skin, bones and dark bloodline from 600 g of skipjack tuna. Cut into 3 cm cubes and refrigerate.
- 2 Finely chop 250 g of onion and 10 g of garlic.
- 3 Remove the stalks and seeds from 150 g of green pepper and 150 g of red bell pepper, then cut into 1 cm dice.
- 4 Grate 250 g of tomatoes, leaving the skins behind. Peel 800 g of potatoes, cut partway through with a knife, then break off the pieces.
Ready when
Continue when the potatoes have rough broken surfaces and the fish is cut into even cubes.
Cook the aromatic vegetables with tomatoes
- 1 Put 60 ml of oil, the onion, green pepper, red pepper and garlic in a pot and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
- 2 Add the tomatoes and reduce for 5 minutes, then lower the heat and stir in 4 g of paprika.
Ready when
Continue when the vegetables are tender and the raw tomato smell has disappeared.
Simmer until the potatoes thicken the broth
- 1 Add the potatoes, 800 ml of water and 6 g of salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for 25 minutes.
- 2 Shake the pot occasionally to break down the surface of the potatoes slightly.
Ready when
Continue when a skewer passes through the potatoes and the broth has thickened a little.
Cook the fish at the end
- 1 Sprinkle 2 g of salt over the fish and add it to the pot.
- 2 Simmer over low heat for 5–7 minutes and check that the fish is opaque to the centre. Turn off the heat and leave for 3 minutes.
- 3 Divide among bowls, taking care not to break up the potatoes too much.
Ready when
It is ready when the fish has no translucent centre and flakes moistly.
About this dish
Marmitako is a fish and potato stew that Basque fishermen used to make aboard their boats. Its name means “from the pot” in Basque, linking a meal at sea with the vessel used to cook it.
Made with fish such as albacore, it is also described as a summer fish dish. The pot of people working in the ports has now become a dish through which cooks compete at town festivals.
A marmitako competition takes place during the festivities at the old port of Algorta in Getxo. It also features in the regional cooking competitions of Bilbao's Aste Nagusia, turning the preparation of a fishermen's dish into an occasion for friends to gather.
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