PREP: Mise the recipe ahead of time.

1. Prep the panadera potatoes:

• Cut the step 1 onion into very thin slices.
• Cut the garlic into very thin slices.
• Peel the potatoes and place them in a container.  Cover with cold water to prevent enzymatic browning.

2. Fabricate the kale:

• Wash the kale leaves and blot dry with paper towels.
• Remove any stems and the thick veins from the leaves.
• Cut the kale leaves crosswise into ribbons about ½-inch wide.
• If prepping ahead, place the kale in a plastic bag with a folded paper towel on the bottom.

3. Make the Romesco sauce:

• Remove the seeds and membrane from the red bell pepper.  Cut it in half along the lobe lines to help it lay flat.
• Place a cooling rack over a gas burner, and turn the burner on high heat.  (Alternatively, preheat a broiler to high heat, position an oven rack close underneath, and line a sheet tray with aluminum foil.)  Make an aluminum foil pouch just large enough to hold the pepper.
• Roast the pepper and tomatoes: Place the pepper, skin-side-down, on the rack over the flame and then place the tomatoes on the rack over the flame.  Use tongs to move the peppers and turn the tomatoes until their skins are evenly blackened and the tomatoes are soft.  (Alternatively, place the vegetables on the sheet tray under the broiler, and turn the tomatoes as necessary.)  Transfer the pepper to the foil pouch and allow it to steam in its own heat for about 5 minutes, until cool enough to handle.  Cool the tomatoes enough to handle them.
• Cut the cores out of the tomatoes, scrape off the charred skins, and coarse-chop them.
• Scrape the charred skins off the pepper and cut it into rough dice.
• Chop the step 2 garlic and place it in a blender along with the roasted pepper, tomato, tomato purée, bread crumbs, and some salt
• Combine the olive oil and almonds in a small sauté pan and place over low heat.  Cook, stirring constantly, until the almonds just begin to brown.  Turn off the heat, add the crushed red pepper and paprika, and cook a second or two longer until fragrant.  Take care not to let the almonds or spices get too brown.
• Immediately pour the almond mixture into the blender, using a plastic spatula to scrape in all of the oil.
• Turn on the blender to low speed and purée just until combined.
• Stir in the vinegar.
• Taste and evaluate for salt and acidity. 
• Transfer the Romesco sauce into a container.

4. Assemble the remaining ingredients.

HOLD: Refrigerate all ingredients except the fish up to 5 days.  Refrigerate the fish up to 2 days.

COOK! Finish and plate your dinner.

5. Preheat an oven to 425°F.

6. If necessary, bring the Romesco sauce to room temperature. 

• Remove from the refrigerator about 1 hour before serving—or—microwave on lowest setting just long enough to achieve room temperature.

7. Assemble and bake the panadera potatoes:

• Preheat an oven to 425°F.
• Choose an ovenproof non-stick sauté pan just large enough to accommodate the potatoes (2 servings: 8-inch pan; 4 servings: 9-inch pan; 6 servings: 10-inch pan), and having a tight-fitting lid.
• Drain the potatoes and cut them into thin slices.
• Place the pan over low heat and add the step 7 oil.  Arrange about half the potatoes in the bottom of the pan in a concentric circle.  Season lightly with salt and scatter on the onion and garlic slices.
• Working quickly, add a second layer of potatoes to the pan and season with salt.
• Cover the pan, turn up the heat to medium, and cook about 5 minutes until the bottom of the potatoes is golden brown.  (Listen for sizzling and lift the potatoes with a spatula to peek underneath.)
• Add the water, re-cover the pan, transfer it to the oven, and bake about 10 minutes until the potatoes are almost cooked through.  (A paring knife inserted into the potatoes will meet just a little resistance.)
• Drizzle the wine over the potatoes, cover the pan, and place it on the back of the stove.

8. Braise the kale:

• Peel and crush the garlic clove.
• Combine the garlic clove and the step 8 oil in a sauté pan and turn the heat to medium.  Allow the garlic to sizzle, flipping it over once or twice, until golden.
• Add the kale, turning it with tongs and packing it in, until it wilts enough to fit in the pan.  Add some salt.  Sauté the kale, turning with tongs, until all of the leaves are coated with oil and it has wilted to about half its original volume.
• Add the step 8 water, cover the pan, and steam over medium heat for about 12 minutes.  Stir and turn over occasionally.  Listen carefully for sizzling, which indicates the water has evaporated.
• Evaluate the texture and, if necessary, add more water and continue cooking until tender.
• Evaluate the seasoning and, if needed, adjust salt.

9. Fabricate the garnish vegetables:

• Cut the scallion into fine diagonal slices.
• Carve the olive flesh off the pits, and then cut the flesh brunoise (tiny dice).

10. Sauté and roast the cod:

• Rinse the cod fillets under cold running water and blot dry with paper towels.
• Heat a sauté pan very hot.  Add the step 10 oil, and then add the fish fillets, shiny-side-up.  Lower the heat to medium and sauté about 1 minute until lightly browned.  Season with salt.
• Use a plastic spatula to separate the potatoes into equal-size servings.  (For 2 servings, divide in half; for 4 servings, divide into 4 wedges; for 6 servings, divide into 6 wedges.)
• Place each cod fillet on top of each potato serving, raw-side-down.  Place the pan in the oven and roast the cod and potatoes for about 8 minutes or until just cooked through.  Codfish has a loose muscle structure and will visibly flake when done.

11. Plate:

• Using a flexible fish spatula and a plastic spatula, lift each portion of cod and potatoes onto the left front of a warmed plate.
• Mound a portion of kale on the back right. 
• Spoon a diagonal line of Romesco sauce across the cod and potatoes.
• Sprinkle a line of scallions across the cod on top of the sauce.
• Sprinkle a line of brunoise olives across the cod on top of the scallions.
• Serve the remaining sauce on the side.