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Spain · Cobia

Cobia a la Roteña

Pescado a la Roteña

In the little port of Rota, on the Bay of Cádiz, “a la roteña” means fish simmered in a slow, sweet sauce of peppers, onion and tomato, finished with a splash of local fino sherry.

  • Prep 20 min
  • Cook 45 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Easy
Photo: Andy Li · CC0
Served with: Poor Man’s Potatoes ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the fish

For the sauce

Method

Step by step, the way it is done on the island.

  1. Start the sauce. Warm the olive oil in a wide pan and cook the onions and peppers over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until very soft and sweet. Add the garlic for the last 2 minutes.
  2. Add the tomato. Stir in the tomatoes, paprika, bay leaf and salt. Cook 10 minutes until thick, then pour in the sherry and let it bubble 2 minutes.
  3. Brown the fish. Salt the fish, dust it with flour and brown it in the olive oil in a skillet, about 2 minutes per side. It does not need to cook through.
  4. Simmer together. Lay the fish in the sauce, cover and simmer gently 8–10 minutes until it flakes. Shake the pan instead of stirring.
  5. Serve. Scatter the parsley on top and bring the pan to the table with patatas a lo pobre and bread for the sauce.

On the side

The side dish that belongs with it, full recipe included.

Andalusia, Spain

Poor Man’s Potatoes

Patatas a lo Pobre

Potatoes, onion and green pepper slowly poached in olive oil until meltingly soft. An Andalusian classic for grilled or baked fish.

  • Prep 10 min
  • Cook 30 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Easy

You need

  • 2 lb (900 g) potatoes, peeled
  • 1 large onion, sliced thin
  • 1 green bell pepper (or 2 Italian frying peppers), in strips
  • 3 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar (optional)
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley

How to make it

  1. Slice. Cut the potatoes into thin rounds about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick. Salt them along with the onion and pepper.
  2. Poach in oil. Warm the olive oil in a wide pan over medium-low heat. Add the potatoes, onion, pepper and garlic. Cook gently 20–25 minutes, turning now and then, until soft but not browned.
  3. Crisp a little. Turn the heat up to medium for the last 3–4 minutes so a few edges turn golden.
  4. Finish. Lift out with a slotted spoon, sprinkle with the vinegar and parsley, and serve warm.

Photo: Lablascovegmenu from London · CC BY 2.0

More ways to cook Cobia

Same fish, a different corner of the sea.

Belém, BrazilBrazil-Nut-Crusted Cobia
Portland, JamaicaJamaican Cobia Rundown
Crete, GreeceCobia Souvlaki with Tzatziki
Virginia Beach, VirginiaVirginia Grilled Cobia with Old Bay Butter