Marmitako (from the spanish marmita= kettle, flesh-pot or porridge-pot) is a delicious fish stew prepared in the north area of the Iberian peninsula. It’s Called Marmitako in the Basque Country and Marmita or Sorropotún in Cantabria, It’s composed mainly of tuna, (Bonito del Norte *) potatoes, onions, pimientos, and tomatoes and when cooked properly, it’s a dish to die for. On my last visit to Spain this past summer I had the great fortune of enjoying a great rendition of this traditional delicacy with an amazing gathering of friends.

My buddy Pablo cooks this to perfection. In fact, he goes about the process with such love and artistry I took graphic testimony with the camera to share on the inter webs with you.  Pablo, while I was assisting him with the cooking made a couple of killer tapas so we didn’t starve, #1 was a delicious pisto over rustic bread and #2 a tuna sashimi, with the fresh bonito we just got from the fishmonger that very morning, and a virgin olive oil macerated in herbs and peppers by Pablo himself.

It was a great excuse to reconnect with some very cool friends. We ate shirtless (not that there’s anything wrong with it) because it was like a hundred and million degrees out in Madrid that day.There was great conversation, some flamenco playing and even a fun jam session at the end.

(*) Bonito del Norte: Bonito is a name given to various species of medium-sized, predatory fish in the Scombridae family. First, bonito … In Spain, tuna (Thunnus alalunga) is sometimes referred as Bonito del Norte. More info on the Wikipedia entry for Bonito