Garbanzos a la Vizcaina

Each year, my mom made for Good Friday a very traditional Spanish dish for the Lenten season, Bacalao a la Vizcaina. Flaked salted cod was layered with thin potato slices, onion rings, and a very savory tomato-based sauce, infused with garlic and olives, and then baked until the potatoes were tender. This was then served hot with white rice and eggs in some shape (usually hard boiled and sliced).

As young honeymooners in Spain and Portugal, Dan and I enjoyed bacalao in many dishes during our travels. Every year since starting our family, I have continued the Lenten tradition by making Bacalao a la Vizcaina at least once a year. If I had to pick a dish that represents Spanish cooking, Bacalao a la Vizcaina would be right up there with Tortilla Espa~nola for me.

I love this dish so much, I needed to find a backup in case the world runs out of cod someday. Garbanzo beans and diced eggplant offer textural elements similar to the salted cod, and a splash of soy sauce adds a remarkable umami note.

Garbanzos a la Vizcaina

1 14 oz can of diced fire roasted tomatoes, undrained
1 8oz can tomato sauce
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 cup Spanish olives with pimientos, chopped
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste
1 large onion, sliced
3 cups cooked garbanzo beans, roughly mashed
1 small eggplant, cut into small cubes
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 large tomato, thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste

1- Combine fire roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, cilantro, olives, and vinegar into a bowl and set aside.
2- Toss the potato slices with 2 tablespoons of oil and salt and pepper to taste.
3- Toss the eggplant with the soy sauce.
4- Brush remaining oil onto the bottom and sides of a 4-quart slow cooker insert.
5- Layer the following into the slow cooker insert:
1/3 of the potatoes
1/2 of the garbanzos
1/2 of the eggplant
1/2 of the tomato sauce mixture
1/2 of the onions
1/3 of the potatoes
rest of the garbanzos
rest of the eggplant
rest of the tomato sauce mixture
rest of the onions
rest of the potatoes
6 - Place the tomato slices as the top layer.
7- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.