Servings: 4
Ease of Preparation: Medium
Menu
Cod Cakes with Roasted Garlic Mayo – click here for the individual recipe [1]
Gazpacho – click here for the individual recipe [2]
Marinated Strawberry and Roast Tomato Salad – click here for the individual recipe [3]
Charred Octopus with Chickpeas and Chili Glaze – click here for the individual recipe [4]
Blistered Padron Peppers, Pickled Chilies, Ricotta Salata – click here for the individual recipe [5]
Click here to download the One BIG Recipe as One BIG PDF [6]
Shopping List
| Pantry: | On hand: | Need (Minimum): | Yes/no: |
| Ancho chilies | 3 | ||
| Chipotle | 1 | ||
| Apple cider vinegar | ¾ cup (180 ml) | ||
| Honey | 3 tablespoons | ||
| Vegetable oil | ½ cup (120 ml) + | ||
| Salt | X | ||
| Olive oil | ¾ cup (180 ml) | ||
| Smoked paprika | 1 tablespoon (15 ml) | ||
| Canned chickpeas | 1 x 15 ounce (425 g) | ||
| Sherry vinegar | 2 ½ tablespoons (45 ml) | ||
| White vinegar | ½ cup (120 ml) | ||
| Sugar | 1/3 cup (80 ml) | ||
| Mustard seeds | 1 teaspoon (5 ml) | ||
| Coriander seeds | 1 teaspoon (5 ml) | ||
| Bay leaves | 6 | ||
| Mayo | 2 1/3 cups (550 ml) | ||
| Dijon mustard | 2 tablespoons (30 ml) | ||
| Worcestershire | 2 teaspoons (10 ml) | ||
| Hot sauce | ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) | ||
| Saltine crackers | ¾ cup (180 ml) | ||
| Balsamic vinegar | 2 tablespoons (30 ml) | ||
| Dairy: | |||
| Ricotta salatta | ½ cup (120 ml) | ||
| Egg | 1 | ||
| Baby bocconcini | 7 ounces (198 g) | ||
| Parmesan | 3 ½ ounces (99g) | ||
| Bakery: | |||
| Day old bread | 4-5 slices | ||
| Produce: | |||
| Garlic | 2 ½ heads | ||
| Roasted red peppers | 2 | ||
| Red chilies | 1 pound (454 g) | ||
| Padron peppers | 12 ounces (340 g) | ||
| Parsley | 2 tablespoons (30 ml) | ||
| Roma tomatoes | 2 pounds (907 g) | ||
| English cucumber | ½ | ||
| Green bell pepper | 1 | ||
| Cherry tomatoes | 2 pints (32 ounces) | ||
| Oregano | 4 sprigs | ||
| Tarragon | 8 sprigs | ||
| Basil | 6 sprigs | ||
| Strawberries | 18 ounces (510 g) | ||
| Baby arugula | 2 cups (470 ml) | ||
| Butcher: | |||
| Morcilla sausage | 1 | ||
| Fishmonger: | |||
| Octopus | 1 | ||
| Cod | 1 pound (454 g) | ||
Mise en Place, about 1.5 hours before dinner
- Roast the Garlic:
- Preheat the oven to 400 F (205 C).
- Place the garlic heads on a sheet tray. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt.
- Roast until the garlic is fragrant, golden, and soft, 30-40 minutes.
- Cook the Octopus:
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to the boil.
- Add the octopus, onion, garlic, carrot, celery, red pepper, and tomato, and immediately turn the heat down to a simmer. Simmer the octopus until tender, 45-60 minutes.
- Cook the Cod:
- In a pot over medium-low heat, combine the cod, bay leaves, and water. Bring to a simmer and allow the fish to cook until opaque and flaky, 10-12 minutes.
- Roast the Cherry Tomatoes:
- Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C).
- Place the halved tomatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Season with salt and drizzle with 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the olive oil. Scatter the stems from the oregano, tarragon, and basil amongst the tomatoes.
- Transfer the tray to the oven and roast until the tomatoes are aromatic and tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Make the Cod Cakes:
- Strain the fish out of the poaching liquid onto a plate and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, egg, and mustard. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a separate bowl, flake the cooled fish and combine with the saltines and parsley.
- Fold the mayonnaise mixture into the cod mixture, combine well, and form into patties.
- Place the cod cakes on a tray and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 20 minutes.
- Pickle the Chillies:
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt.
- Add the mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and bay leaves. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer.
- Pack the chilis into a heatproof jar. Carefully pour the simmering mixture over the chilis. Allow to cool to room temperature and reserve until needed.
Get cookin’! – about an hour before dinner
- Make the Chili Glaze:
- In a saucepan over medium heat, toast the ancho and chipotle peppers, turning often until fragrant and pliable, 2-3 minutes.
- Add the vinegar, honey, and garlic and allow the mixture to come to a simmer.
- Once simmering, remove the pan from the heat and allow to steep at room temperature until the chiles are softened, roughly 20 minutes.
- Allow the garlic to cool to room temperature.
- Make the Gazpacho:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stove. Cut an ‘x’ in the bottom of the tomatoes. Drop the tomatoes, in batches, into the water and allow to cook for 35-40 seconds.
- Strain the tomatoes out of the water onto a tray and allow to cool enough to handle. Peel and discard the skins.
- In a blender, combine the peeled tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, garlic, saltine crumbs, vinegar, and water. Blend on high speed until well combined and smooth.
- While the blender is running, stream in the olive oil. Season with salt.
- Transfer the gazpacho to a container and refrigerate until well chilled, at least, 30 minutes.
- Blend the Chili Glaze:
- Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. While the machine is running, stream in the oil to emulsify. Season with salt and reserve.
- Make the Roasted Garlic Mayonnaise:
- Squeeze the roasted garlic into a bowl. Add the mayonnaise and stir to combine. Refrigerate until needed.
- Cook and serve the Cod Cakes:
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, coat pan with oil and heat until shimmering.
- Add the cod cakes and cook, in batches, until golden and crispy, 3-5 minutes per side.
- Drain the cod cakes on a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt.
- Serve the cod cakes with Roasted Garlic Mayo on the side.
Dinner time! – about 10 minutes before dinner
- Serve the Gazpacho
- Pour the gazpacho into chilled bowls, garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and serve immediately.
Take a break, sit down and enjoy…
- Do the Salad Mise en Place:
- Allow the tomatoes to cool to room temperature.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the roasted tomatoes, strawberries, arugula, bocconcini, and Parmesan.
- Add the leaves of the oregano, tarragon, and basil, season with salt and pepper, and gently toss to combine.
- Dress and Serve the Salad:
- Drizzle the remaining olive oil and balsamic vinegar onto the salad, gently toss again, and serve immediately.
Take another break! You’re doing so well!
- Serve the Octopus and Padron Peppers:
- Preheat the grill to high and brush with oil
- Strain the octopus out of the water and onto a sheet pan and pat dry.
- Transfer the octopus to the grill and cook, turning, until charred all over, 4- 5 minutes. Brush the octopus with the sauce in the last minute of cooking.
- Transfer the octopus to a tray and brush again with the sauce.
- While the octopus is grilling, make the Chickpea Salad: in a cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat combine the morcilla and olive oil. Press down lightly on the morcilla to release its oil and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent and softened, 3-4 minutes.
- Raise the heat to medium and add the smoked paprika, chickpeas, and roasted red peppers.
- Season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing often, until the chickpeas are tender, 7-8 minutes.
- Add the sherry vinegar, toss to coat, and serve immediately, alongside the Chili-Glazed Octopus.
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- Heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet large enough to fit the peppers in a single layer over high heat.
- Once the oil is shimmering and hot, add the peppers. Cook without moving until blistered on one side, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Flip and shake the peppers in the pan until blistered on all sides, about 1 ½ minutes total.
- Season with salt and turn out onto a serving platter.
- Spoon some of the pickled chilis around the Padrons. Sprinkle the ricotta overtop and serve immediately.
