From San Vicente de la Barquera comes this fish stew called sorropotún de bonito. Bonito is an oily fish found in the cold northern waters and is in season between June and October.
It's a fish that can be prepared in various ways, such as pickled or cooked in marmitako. Sorropotún is the Cantabrian version of the Basque marmitako. A stew with all the intensity of the sea , traditionally eaten on fishing boats.
The recipe can vary depending on the family cooking it. Some versions include green pepper and tomato, while others don't. One of the most important steps for perfecting the recipe is the initial sautéing of the onion and the slow cooking of the bonito to ensure it retains its juiciness.
Recipe Information
- Preparation time : 20 minutes
- Cooking time : 35 minutes
- Total time : 55 minutes
- Servings : 4
- Category : main course
- Type of cuisine : Cantabrian
- Calories : 211 kcal per 100 g
Ingredients for bonito sorropotún for 4 people
- 1 kg of fresh albacore tuna, cut into cubes
- 2 medium onions
- 1 green pepper
- 700 g of potato
- 600 ml of fish stock
- 1 piece of day-old bread (preferably a loaf)
- Parsley or chives for garnish
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
How to make bonito sorropotún
Slice the day-old bread and toast it in 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Set aside on absorbent paper until ready to use.
Dice the onion and, in the oil where we fried the bread, season with salt and pepper and sauté over low heat until it turns golden brown. This should take about 20-30 minutes.
Once the onion is well softened, add the diced bell pepper . Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the roughly chopped potatoes. The starch they release will help thicken the sauce. Stir well to combine them with the onion and green pepper.
Cover with fish stock and simmer for 20 minutes until the potato is cooked.
Add the tuna and when it changes color, turn off the heat. It will cook for 3-4 minutes with the residual heat.
Add the fried bread slices. Serve in a plate or earthenware casserole dish sprinkled with chopped parsley or chives.
Easy-to-prepare summary
- Slice the bread and brown it in a saucepan with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
- Dice the onion. Season with salt and pepper.
- Poach over low heat for 20-30 minutes until well browned
- Dice the green bell pepper into a small brunoise and add to the saucepan. Stir.
- Crack the potatoes and add them
- Cover with fish stock
- Cook over low heat for 20 minutes
- Add the bonito tacos
- When they change color, turn off the heat and let them cook with the residual heat.
- Add the fried bread
- Serve the bonito sorropotún sprinkled with chopped parsley or chives
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