Marmita translates as 'pot' or 'casserole'
in Basque, while the suffix ko
is the genitive case, so that marmitako
literally means 'from the pot'. Of course, just about everything in Basque
cooking comes 'from the pot', but only this venerable dish goes by that name.
Originally it was cooked on board fishing boats - and still is - but for
decades now it has appeared on restaurant menus in the Basque Country,
sometimes even prepared with salmon. The stew
is soupy but thick, especially when the potatoes are 'cracked open' to yield
more starch. You can prepare marmitako
up to the point which the tuna is added, and then reheat the stew up to a day
later and add the tuna.
