From Barcelona with Love: A Fish Recipe
Wednesday, April 1, 2009As featured in Bay Area Bites, April 1, 2009.
Palmira’s Pescada a la Vinagreta
During my junior year of college I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to study abroad. For a year I lived in the “fat city” of Bologna and discovered the joys of cooking (and stuffing myself silly). I also bought discount tickets to other European cities every chance I got.
One of those tickets happened to land me in the beautiful city of Barcelona, where art is life, dinner is grazing through tapas, and nightlife doesn’t get good ‘til 3 am.
I stayed with Emily, a friend from school also studying abroad, who lived with a senora named Palmira. Palmira was a sweetheart and on my first night in, made a lovely supper of fried fish, topped with toasted pine nuts and a shower of fresh parsley. It was light, crispy, and had a subtle splash of acidity.
The dinner conversation was an interesting jumble of English, Spanish, Catalan, and Italian, but we did manage to get one thing straight: Palmira’s recipe for Pescada a la Vinagreta.
Like much of the cooking I witnessed while abroad, this simple and satisfying dish is made with just a few fresh ingredients, and no strict measurements. The guidelines are there, the rest is the joy of cooking.
Palmira’s Pescada a la Vinagreta
(una receta de cocina fresco de Espana!)
Ingredients:
white fish fillet (hake, grouper, sole…really any white fish with a mild flavor)
parsley, chopped
garlic, minced
pine nuts
salt
flour
white wine vinegar
Preparation:
Wash, dry, and salt the fish. Coat it in flour, dusting off the excess.
Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over moderate heat. Fry the fish until browned on both sides.
With the remaining oil in the pan, on low flame, add the minced garlic, chopped parsley, pine nuts, and stir. When the nuts are toasted, add a splash of vinegar (enough to coat the bottom of the pan). Pour the mixture over the fish and serve immediately.
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I like the casual nature of this recipe. Looks light & tasty!
Sounds good to me. I’ve never had pine nuts with fish, I bet it’s a great mix.
Ooo…Do you know if they have anything like that in the Bay Area?
This dish is delicious! The lovely Palmira used to serve it all the time– it was absolutely one of my favorites– so simple and so good! TRY IT!!
And heeeeey Steph!!! Thanks for digging this one up again!
Thank YOU emmm spice – such wonderful memories i shall cherish forever
I second that!!! Although I never tried Palmira’s cooking, I have quite the culinary memories from that trip… Can you say churro con xocolatl????
Ahh to visit Barcelona one day, I’ve got to make it happen. Adding a home cooked meal on top of that would be a delightful bonus!
Sounds delicious! I didn’t have this when I went to Barcelona, but I love Pa Amb Tomaquet (tomato bread – so simple but great tasting) Toasted rustic bread rubbed with raw garlic and tomato, with olive oil and salt, and of course the paella and the pastries.
Going to try this this weekend AND been planning a trip to South of France and Barcelona (1st time) so perfect timing. Thanks!
and now i’m officially jealous
have a wonderful trip!
Barcelona is one of my favorite cities in the world. I love the idea of this dish — it’s like a more rustic version of a classic southwestern French bistro dish of trout crusted in almonds. And now I’m hungry.
mmm that sounds great! i’ll have to try that.
Pine nuts on fish! what a nice, interesting idea. I’ll bet I can recreate this in my kitchen! yum!
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I tried it twice and not able to get it to look like the picture, the garlic, pine nuts and parsley are almost charred or turned black before I get it on the fish, any tricks?
Hmm…most likely your pan is too hot. Try using a separate pan for the toppings, adding a bit of oil and keeping it on low-medium heat until the pine nuts and garlic are toasted lightly golden.