Basque people love fresh fish and seafood, as do I. With the Cantabrian Sea on the doorstep, fishing has always been a big part of the Basque economy. Fishermen go out to bring the catch in so that the women can sell it at the fish markets and fishing was, and still is, at the heart of the lives of many families in the region.
Some of the recipes you’ll see in this chapter come literally off the boats. Dishes that the fishermen would cook whilst out at sea for sustenance, such as the Marmitako. Others come straight from the sociedades gastronómicas, where traditionally only men used to cook and they would prepare the catch.
Others are some of my favourite recipes, recipes that bring me great memories of really early mornings at the markets, memories of chatting with the old lady cleaning the anchovies. It’s amazing to see how much love still goes into this task, day after day.
There’s so much to say about fish and how it fits into life in the Basque Country. From drinking Txakoli and eating fresh sardines a la plancha down in the port of San Sebastián to salt cod, a staple of many dishes that you will see across the bars and restaurants of the region.
In this chapter I also want to show you that you don’t need to be scared of fish – buying it, preparing it or cooking it. These recipes are meant to be made at home and with fish that you will be able to find in your local supermarkets or at your fishmonger.