Basque-style fish with Swedish potatoes

Ingredients

• 600 g White fish fillets (cod or pollock) (cut into medium-sized pieces)
• 100 g All-purpose flour (to coat the fish)
• 1 tsp Salt
• ½ tsp Ground black pepper
• 1 tsp Sweet paprika
• ½ tsp Hot paprika (hot pepper)
• ¼ tsp Espelette pepper (or more to taste)
• 200 ml Cooking oil (sunflower or rapeseed) (for frying the fish)
• 1 piece Fresh onion (finely sliced)
• 200 g Frozen red bell pepper strips (thawed beforehand)
• 2 pieces Garlic cloves (chopped)
• 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil (for the sauce)
• 400 g Canned tomato pulp (or crushed tomatoes)
• 1 piece Bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf, parsley)
• 50 g Pitted black olives (sliced)
• 4 pieces Medium potatoes (peeled and sliced into thick rounds)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil (for the potatoes) (flavored with garlic, salt and Espelette pepper)
• ½ tsp Garlic powder
• ¼ tsp Dried oregano
• 2 tbsp Provençal persillade (parsley + garlic) (for plating)

Instructions

1. Prepare the spiced flour mixture

   In a bowl, mix the flour, salt, pepper, sweet paprika, hot paprika and Espelette pepper.

   Time: PT5M

2. Coat the fish pieces

   Dredge each fish piece in the spiced flour mixture, lightly pat to remove excess.

   Time: PT2M

3. Fry the fish

   Heat 200 ml of cooking oil in the sauté pan over medium‑high heat (≈180 °C). Add the pieces, cook 5‑6 min each side until golden, then remove and keep warm.

   Time: PT12M

   Temperature: 180°C

4. Slice the vegetables

   While the fish cooks, thinly slice the onion, chop the garlic and separate the frozen pepper strips.

   Time: PT5M

5. Sauté the vegetables

   Drain excess oil from the pan, add 2 tbsp olive oil, then the peppers, onion and garlic. Salt, add a small pot of sweet pepper and a pinch of Espelette pepper. Cook until colored over medium heat, cover 5‑6 min.

   Time: PT6M

   Temperature: 180°C

6. Add tomato and bouquet garni

   Stir in the tomato pulp, the bouquet garni and mix. Cook 5 min for flavors to develop.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 180°C

7. Simmer the fish in the sauce

   Return the fish pieces to the pan, add the sliced black olives, cover and simmer over medium heat for 20 min until the fish is set.

   Time: PT20M

   Temperature: 180°C

8. Prepare the potatoes

   Peel the potatoes and cut into thick rounds without cutting all the way through, so they open like a fan.

   Time: PT10M

9. Cook the potatoes

   Heat the flavored olive oil (olive oil + salt + garlic powder + Espelette pepper + oregano) in an air‑fryer or oven at 190 °C for 40 min (or 1 h in the oven). The potatoes should be golden and tender.

   Time: PT40M

   Temperature: 190°C

10. Plating and serving

    Arrange the potato rounds on the dish, spoon over the Basque sauce, place the fish in the centre and sprinkle with Provençal persillade.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

25 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

15 g

Fiber

4 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of White fish fillets (cod or pollock): Hake fillets, Sole fillets
• Instead of All-purpose flour: Rice flour (gluten-free)
• Instead of Sweet paprika: Sweet paprika powder
• Instead of Hot paprika (hot pepper): Cayenne pepper
• Instead of Espelette pepper: Smoked paprika
• Instead of Cooking oil (sunflower or rapeseed): Peanut oil
• Instead of Fresh onion: Yellow onion
• Instead of Frozen red bell pepper strips: Fresh peppers cut into strips
• Instead of Garlic cloves: Garlic powder ½ tsp
• Instead of Extra virgin olive oil: Rapeseed oil
• Instead of Canned tomato pulp: Fresh peeled and blended tomatoes
• Instead of Bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf, parsley): Herbes de Provence
• Instead of Pitted black olives: Green olives
• Instead of Medium potatoes: Sweet potatoes (for a different version)
• Instead of Olive oil (for the potatoes): Sunflower oil
• Instead of Garlic powder: Fresh chopped garlic
• Instead of Dried oregano: Thyme
• Instead of Provençal persillade (parsley + garlic): Chives

Equipment Needed

• Sauteuse or large skillet
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Wooden spatula
• Kitchen tongs (optional)
• Mixing bowl
• Sieve or strainer (optional)
• Oven (optional) (optional)
• Timer

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Coat the fish evenly without excess flour.
• Do not overcrowd the pan when frying to keep oil temperature.
• Simmer the covered fish for 20 min so it absorbs the sauce.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Sprinkle a little lemon zest on the fish just before serving for a fresh touch.
• Using high‑quality Espelette pepper adds a subtle, aromatic heat.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the fish and sauce separately in airtight containers, up to 2 days.

Freezer: Raw fish pieces can be frozen for 2 months; the sauce freezes for 1 month.

Room temperature: Cooked potatoes keep at room temperature for a maximum of 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• The Basque sauce can be prepared the day before and gently reheated before adding the fish.
• The potato rounds can be pre‑cooked in the oven then reheated at serving time.