CHEF and blogger Paul James writes for our paper.
I was told about this traditional dish from Ibiza by a good friend of mine Nadine, who moved to the island from Birmingham some time ago.
The Bullit de peix or fish stew was one of the island’s most traditional dishes of the local fishermen.
The origin of the dish was to use the unsaleable fish of the day´s capture.
Now some of the top restaurants on the island prepare this dish with the best ingredients from the sea and the land of Ibiza.
Fish, such as Rotja, grouper, or monkfish along with lobster, crabs or prawns could all be used along with a variety of vegetables.
The traditional Bullit de Peix is prepared in the typical clay pot of the Balearic Islands, called the greixonera. Then served on a tray.
As the tradition prescribes, the fish are the first to be eaten, then the potatoes and finally, some rice.
This dish is usually served with an alioli sauce to enhance the taste.
But I’ve tried to strip back the recipe given to me by Nadine, by using fillets instead of the more traditional recipe that calls for the use of most of the fish and crustaceans including the bones, crab claws and all to maximise the flavour.
Hopefully Nadine will approve of my dish, somehow I don’t think the fishermen of Ibiza’s yesteryear will.
Visit recipesfrommytravels.com for more on Paul’s blog
Bullit de peix
Ingredients
Fish fillets (I’ve used Un-Dyed haddock)
1 onion finely sliced
1tsp of minced garlic
2 large tomatoes skin removed and grated (with a sharp knife cut a little cross on top of one end of the tomato and add it to boiling water for just 30 seconds so it’s easier to remove the skin)
1 green pepper diced
Potatoes peeled
Small Pinch of Saffron
500ml Fish stock using a stock cube
2tbsp Aioli mayonnaise
1 Lemon half for the juice and half for the garnish
Salt and pepper
Mangetout
Flat parsley
Pinch smoked paprika
Method
1. Add the potatoes to a saucepan of cold water with a pinch of sea salt and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, add a couple of flecks of saffron and cover with a lid. Cook until just softened. Drain well.
2. Blanch the mangetout in boiling water until cooked.
3. In a frying pan add the garlic, onions and green pepper and gently fry until the onions and peppers are soft.
4. Push to one side of the pan and start to pan fry the fish until cooked.
5. In a jug make up the fish stock.
6. Add the aioli mayonnaise to a clean pan and slowly add a couple of tbsps of the cooled down fish stock, whisking to combine.
7. Gradually add more stock until you get a cream like sauce (add more Aioli if you want).
8. Now add the grated tomato along with a tiny pinch of paprika and the juice of half a lemon to the sauce.
9. Gently warm through. Season to taste.
10. Serve the fish, potatoes and vegetables in a warm bowl and knapp over the sauce.
11. Add a scattering of parsley and a couple of lemon wedges.
