Name: Stingray in saffron and cumin sauce
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 105 min
Yield: 4 - 6
Ingredients: 2 onions, peeled and halved; 600 gm skate wings (about 1 large), skinned, bone in; 3 green bullhorn capsicum or 1 large green capsicum; 4 Desiree potatoes (about 800gm), cut into 3cm pieces; 10 nora peppers (45gm; see note); 1 ripe vine-ripened tomato, scored; 5 sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil); 2 pinches of saffron threads; 2 tsp cumin seed; 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped; 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 80 ml (⅓ cup) mild-flavoured extra-virgin olive oil; To serve: robust-flavoured extra-virgin olive oil

Raya al pimentón

Antonio Navarro Garcia is a journalist who spent his life telling the stories of the Almerienses, the people of Almería,” says Frank Camorra. “He said, ‘As the young people leave the land and the seaside villages for the cities, they forget their traditional food and how to cook it.’ Over the decades he has compiled books of recipes from around the province. He was only too glad to bring us into his home to show us how to cook this super-smooth and delicious spiced potato and red pepper sauce cooked in stingray stock – it’s surprisingly fast to make and quite rich.”

Ingredients

2 onions, peeled and halved

600 gm skate wings (about 1 large), skinned, bone in

3 green bullhorn capsicum or 1 large green capsicum

4 Desiree potatoes (about 800gm), cut into 3cm pieces

10 nora peppers (45gm; see note)

1 ripe vine-ripened tomato, scored

5 sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil)

2 pinches of saffron threads

2 tsp cumin seed

4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

80 ml (⅓ cup) mild-flavoured extra-virgin olive oil

To serve: robust-flavoured extra-virgin olive oil

Method

Main

1.Preheat oven to 180C. Place onions, 2 litres water and 1 tsp salt in a large saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium, add skate and simmer until cooked through (10-12 minutes). Remove skate (reserve stock) and, when cool enough to handle, remove cartilage and pull flesh away from bone with your hands. Discard cartilage and bones and break flesh into large pieces. Set aside.

2.Meanwhile, scorch capsicums one at a time, holding with a pair of metal tongs, over a high gas flame, until skin blackens and flesh is soft (5-7 minutes). Set aside to cool, then rub off the skin. Halve, remove the seeds and cut into strips.

3.Place potato, nora peppers, and fresh and sun-dried tomatoes in the reserved stock and simmer over medium heat until potatoes begin to soften (15 minutes). Remove saucepan from heat and remove dried peppers, tomatoes and onion with a slotted spoon to a plate. Cool briefly, then cut peppers in half lengthways and scrape the flesh from the skin with a small knife. Discard skin and seeds. Remove skin from tomato and discard. Reserve stock.

4.Meanwhile, dry-roast saffron in a very small saucepan over medium heat until fragrant (10-20 seconds). Remove from heat and add 2 tbsp hot stock to the pan and set aside to infuse.

5.Roast cumin seeds on small tray in oven until fragrant (5-8 minutes). Finely pound with a mortar and pestle, then add garlic and black pepper and pound to a paste. Add saffron liquid and grind to a smooth paste. Process paste in a food processor with dried peppers, onion and tomatoes until smooth, then add olive oil with 300ml reserved stock and blend to a thick purée.

6.Bring remaining stock to a simmer, add purée and cook until well combined (2-3 minutes).

7.Divide sauce and potato among bowls, top with pieces of skate and strips of roasted green pepper, drizzle with olive oil, season to taste and serve.

Note: Dried nora chillies are available from Spanish delicatessens.
Watch Frank Camorra from Melbourne’s Movida restaurant make the calamari cooked in olive oil with spiced beetroot salad recipe live from the Harvey Norman Gourmet Institute Event on August 19 at Harvey Norman, Chadstone in an exclusive video on the Harvey Norman website.
Notes