Marmitako (Basque Tuna Soup)
To use the frozen broth left from my gefilte fish at Passover, I make this Basque Tuna Soup. It has a strong pepper
flavor, and stands alone as a meal with a crusty loaf of French bread and a salad. Great tuna is easy for us to get in
central Illinois, but you could also use salmon for this recipe.
Ingredients
- 3-4 dried sweet red peppers (ancho)
- 3 T. olive oil
- 1 pound fresh tuna steak, cut into cubes
- 3 medium onions, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 green or red peppers, chopped
- 2 T. parsley
- 4 tsp. paprika
- 2 T. brandy
- 1 1/2 pounds potatoes, cubed
- 14 ounces canned diced tomatoes
- 6 cups fish stock or water
- 1 large carrot, cut into thin slices
- 1 medium leek, washed very well, diced
- 1/2 tsp. hot pepper flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
- croutons
Remove stem and seeds from dried sweet pepper. Soak in water for 20 minutes
and drain. Remove the flesh from the peppers, and discard the peel and seeds.
Heat oil in a large casserole. Stir-fry the tuna for 1 minute.
Remove the tuna and reserve. Lower the heat and add onion, garlic, green or red
pepper, and parsley. Sauté for five minutes, then cover and cook for 30
minutes at low heat. Uncover and stir in paprika. Raise heat, add brandy,
and flame. When flame dies, stir in the potatoes, and sauté for a minute.
Add tomato, and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in fish stock, carrot, leek and hot pepper.
Add the ancho pepper flesh
to the soup. Add salt and pepper, bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes until
potatoes are tender. Add tuna, adjust seasoning, and simmer for 3 minutes.
Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve in bowls with croutons.