by David Dominé, the Bluegrass Peasant

It’s July and they’re running the bulls in Pamplona, Spain. From July 6 to 14 people from all over the world crowd into this city Ernest Hemingway made famous in his first novel, The Sun Also Rises.

Watch the news and you’ll see gangs of red-neckerchiefed daredevils in white dispersing down cobble-stoned alleys with hordes of rightfully angry bulls in hot pursuit. Since 1910, los torros have reportedly killed 15 unfortunate adventurers in Pamplona. And although they say they won’t let you run if you’re drunk, you have to wonder what else but alcohol would prompt these individuals to risk their lives like that.

OK, testosterone, I suppose. You don’t see very many females attempting the feat. The last adrenaline junkie to be directly killed by the bull’s horns was Matthew Tassio, a tourist from Chicago who was gored in 1995. This year, the Spanish Red Cross reported that on the first day of running 13 people were injured. Six were Spanish and the rest were from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Britain, Romania and South Korea.

Even though the running of the bulls, or encierro, is the most famous of the attractions in the nine-day celebration known as the Festival of San Fermín, there are other things to do in this northern Spanish town in the region of Navarra. Like eat and drink, for example. Aside from its reputation as a city of culture and history, of magic and witchcraft, Pamplona is known for its excellent food and wine. Saint Fermín, after all, is the patron saint of bakers and winemakers.

During a visit to Pamplona many years ago, I discovered a great taberna that served ajoarriero (pronounced something like ah-ho-ah-[trilled]ree-ay-do), one of Hemingway’s favorite dishes that consists of dried cod or bacalao cooked with peppers, onions, tomatoes and garlic. Muleteers (arrieros) always had large stores of dried cod with them, and on their travels they would cook it in a sauce heavy on garlic (ajo) with wild vegetables found along the roadside. The great writer was known to sit in his favorite haunt and devour this simple fish stew with great quantities of the local rosé wine. Sounds like a plan to me.

See the Recipe after the Jump:  

For something a little different for your next late night supper, go to Lotsa Pasta or one of our area ethnic food shops for some salt cod and follow this easy recipe from the Bluegrass Peasant for a taste of Pamplona this summer.

BACALAO AL AJOARRIERO

1 pound dried cod, skin and bones removed

½ cup olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

6 cloves of garlic, minced

2 red bell peppers, cut in chunks

1 large tomato, coarsely chopped

½ cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

salt and pepper to taste

Reconstitute the dried cod in water for 24 hours, changing the water at least twice. In a large cast iron skillet or a cazuela, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onion and garlic until translucent. Add the peppers and tomato and turn up the heat to medium-high. Break the cod into small pieces and add to the pan with the wine and paprika. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped parsley and enjoy with fried potatoes and crusty white bread.