Spanish
Bacalao al Pil-Pil
Basque salt cod gently cooked in olive oil and served in a warm emulsion of cod gelatin, garlic, and guindilla.
6 servings · 35 minutes prep · 30 minutes cook
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 pounds thick skin-on salted cod loin, cut into six portions
- 1 1/2 cups mild fruity extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 dried guindilla chiles, sliced into rings
Directions
Desalt and Dry the Cod
- Rinse the salt cod. Place it skin-side up in a nonreactive container, cover with at least 3 inches cold water, and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours, changing the water every 8 hours. After 24 hours, cut a tiny flake from the thickest piece and poach it in simmering water for 1 minute, until opaque. Cool briefly and taste; it should be pleasantly seasoned, not bland or aggressively salty.
- Drain the cod and pat it exceptionally dry. Let it stand on a rack for 30 minutes. Heat the olive oil, garlic, and guindilla in a wide heavy skillet over medium-low heat until the garlic is pale gold, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the garlic and chile to a plate without discarding the oil.
Gently Cook the Cod
- Cool the oil to about 160°F. Add the cod skin-side up in one layer and cook very gently, spooning oil over it, for 4 minutes. Turn skin-side down and cook until the thickest flakes just begin to separate and the center reaches 145°F, 6 to 10 minutes more. The oil must never sizzle.
Collect the Gelatin-Rich Juices
- Transfer the cod carefully to a warm plate. Pour the oil into a heatproof measuring cup, leaving the pale, gelatin-rich cod juices in the pan. Let the oil cool to 120°F to 130°F.
Emulsify and Serve
- Set the pan over the lowest possible heat. Move a small fine-mesh strainer rapidly in circles through the cod juices while adding the warm oil in a very thin stream. Continue until a glossy, pale-gold emulsion forms; remove the pan from the heat whenever the sauce approaches 140°F. Add only enough oil to make the sauce thick yet flowing.
- Return the cod skin-side up and spoon the pil-pil around and over it. Warm for 1 to 2 minutes without simmering. Garnish with the reserved garlic and guindilla and serve immediately on warmed plates.
