History
Wikipedia describes marmitako as a stew traditionally eaten by tuna fishermen on board boats in the Bay of Biscay and the Cantabrian Sea; the name comes from marmita, a metal pot with a lid. The fish is albacore, known as bonito del norte, which migrates close to the Basque coast between about July and September. In the late 20th century marmitako briefly fell out of fashion in restaurants, then returned to menus across the region, and it is most associated with Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa.
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Common allergens: Fish
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 600g fresh bonito or albacore tuna, skinned and cut into 3cm chunks
- 1kg floury potatoes, peeled
- 2 large yellow onions, finely diced
- 1 large green pepper, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 ripe tomatoes, grated (skins discarded)
- 3 dried choricero peppers (or 3 tbsp choricero pepper pulp)
- 100ml olive oil
- 200ml dry white wine (Txakoli)
- 800ml fish stock or water
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- Country bread, to serve
Method
- Soak the choricero peppers in warm water for 30 minutes. Slit, scrape the flesh from the skin with a knife, and reserve the pulp. Discard skins.
- Heat the olive oil in a wide heavy pot over medium heat. Soften the onions for 8 minutes.
- Add the green pepper and garlic; cook 5 minutes.
- Stir in the grated tomato and choricero pepper pulp. Cook 6 minutes until the sofrito darkens.
- Crack the potatoes rather than slice them: insert a knife and twist to break off rough 3cm chunks (the ragged edges release starch into the broth).
- Add the potatoes to the sofrito and stir to coat.
- Pour in the white wine; bubble 2 minutes. Add the fish stock and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper.
- Simmer gently for 25 to 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the broth thickens. Stir occasionally to crush a few potatoes against the sides.
- Off the heat, add the tuna chunks and submerge them in the broth.
- Cover and let the residual heat cook the tuna for 4 to 5 minutes; the fish should be just opaque and still tender.
- Scatter with parsley and serve in deep bowls with country bread.
Tip from the editors. Add the tuna off the heat and let it poach in the residual warmth; cooking it in the simmer turns it to dust. Crack potatoes to release starch.
Where to eat marmitako
Marmitako in Bilbao
Featured by TableJourney as a signature dish of Bilbao. See where to eat Marmitako in Bilbao or the Bilbao signature dishes guide.
Marmitako in San Sebastián
Casa Urola ★ 4.5
Casa Urola on Fermin Calbeton is a restaurant founded in 1956 and run by chef Pablo Loureiro Rodil, with a busy pintxo bar on its ground floor.
FoodCold traditional pintxos and classic and seasonal pintxos
TipReservations are taken at least 24 hours ahead and held for 30 minutes; Casa Urola closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
More places near Casa Urola
Not on this list, but close by, nearest first. Every one is in our guide with its address, hours and what to order.
- Bar Tamboril Spanish tapas, under 100 m away
- Borda Berri Modern Basque Pintxos, under 100 m away
- Bar Sport Basque Pintxos, under 100 m away
- Bar Txepetxa Basque Anchovy Bar, under 100 m away
- Ganbara Basque Pintxos, about 100 m away
- La Vina Basque, about 100 m away
More cities are in research. Want marmitako covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.