Viudo (Widowed Potatoes)

The Washington Post, June 3, 2009

• • Course: Main Course

Summary:

The name is given to potatoes cooked with salt cod or other fish instead of meat. Canned sardines make a nice addition to this one-pot light supper, designed to be cooked in a cazuela or glazed ceramic casserole.

MAKE AHEAD: This dish can be cooked, cooled and refrigerated, to be served chilled on soft butter lettuce.

6 servings

Ingredients:

• • 3 tablespoons olive oil
• • 1 medium green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice (1 1/2 cups)
• • 1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice (1 cup)
• • 1 cup canned diced tomatoes, plus their juices
• • 3 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 7 cups)
• • 1 head garlic, roasted and pureed (see NOTE)
• • 1 bay leaf
• • 2 teaspoons salt
• • 1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
• • Freshly ground black pepper
• • 2 cups water
• • 8 ounces oil- or water-packed sardines, drained

Directions:

Heat the oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the green bell pepper and onion; cook, stirring often, for about 7 minutes, until softened.

Add the tomatoes with their juices, the potatoes, roasted garlic puree, bay leaf, salt, smoked paprika, black pepper to taste and water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring just to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring once or twice, for 45 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Depending on which potatoes are used, the mixture may have thickened slightly.

Add the drained sardines and stir until heated through. Divide among individual wide shallow bowls and serve warm.

NOTE: To roast garlic, lop off the top of a head of garlic so that its cloves are exposed a bit. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap tightly in aluminum foil, then roast for about 40 minutes in a 400-degree oven. Squeeze the cloves into a small bowl and mash to form a puree.

Recipe Source:

Adapted from “My Kitchen in Spain: 225 Authentic Regional Recipes,” by Janet Mendel (HarperCollins, 2002).

318 calories, 10g fat, 2g saturated fat, 46mg cholesterol, 888mg sodium, 45g carbohydrates, 6g dietary fiber, 4g sugar, 13g protein.