Have you ever strolled along the seaside towns of northeastern Spain in the Basque Country, and smelled a magic that alternates between humble and divine scents? It is not an elaborate mishmash of foodstuffs; it is simply salt cod, garlic, olive oil and a dash of Chilli. But as soon as these plain ingredients are combined in the Basque kitchen, miraculous things happen: Bacalao al Pil-Pil
This is no ordinary dish now. It is a low-key dance of ingredients. Food that tells about sea breezes, ancient ways and that patience only a grandmother can instruct. And what is the best part? It is prepared at home in your own kitchen. You simply must have the right fish, a light wrist and some faith in the sauce.
Some Back-Story: The Origin of the Story
Bacalao al Pil-pil hails from the Basque Country—a fiercely proud culinary region where cod transforms into something magical. The term pil-pil is not a sauce and not a spice. It is actually the noise that the oil produces when it softly sizzles and emulsifies. That blipping sound pil-pil accompanies you; that is your time-keeper, and also your thunder sticks
This dish was of necessity. Salt cod was a preserved food that sustained sailors and towns of the interior for hundreds of years. It was transformed (by Basque cooks) over time into something opulent and heartfelt. Today, it’s a star of Basque cuisine—the dish every local grandma makes best and every visitor demands.
When to Make It?
It is ideal when you want to have a quiet weekend, a nice dinner at home, or you want to impress somebody who can appreciate the beauty of less-is-more cooking. It is wonderfully complemented with a dry white wine and basic bread to nibble on all the creamy gravy
Ingredients
These are some of the things that you will need when you make the real deal one:
- 4 bacalao desalted salted cod fillets
- Substitute: In a pinch, fresh cod can be used, but it will not be as rich. To obtain the flavour, one can season fresh cod with a pinch of salt and allow it to rest overnight
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Substitute: Quality olive oil has to be used.
- thin slices of cloves of garlic
- 1 dried red chilli (or a pinch of red pepper flakes)
- Substitute: Smoked paprika with a little bit of change, but the result is delicious
Instructions
Step 1: Use cold water and soak the fillets in cold water for around 48 hours, changing the water every 8 hours. During this time, refrigerate it
Step 2: When this is done, dry the cod with a clean kitchen towel. To cook, it needs to be dry
Step 3: Melt the olive oil and warm it up in a big heavy pan or skillet. Throw in the chopped garlic and chilli. let them grow yellow–not scorch them. Take them out and put them aside (you will put them back in)
Step 4: Put the cod fillets, skin side down, into the oil with the garlic. Gently place the fish in a wide pan with just a knob of butter. Keep the heat low—8 to 10 minutes should do it, depending on thickness. You’ll know it’s ready when the flesh flakes apart with little resistance. Allow the heat to cool down a bit
Step 5: Take out the cod and put it away. And here is the trick: begin to swirl the oil in a circle either with a tiny mesh strainer or with light movement of the pan. The natural gelatin is liberated by the cod, which will gradually thicken the oil to give it a creamy sauce. This can take 10-15 minutes and so be patient
Step 6: After the sauce gets that silky texture, bring the cod back to the pan. Reheat gently. Add the slices of Chilli that were set aside and topped with garlic
Serve Tips
- Get it piping hot to the table—with a hunk of crusty bread for swiping up every last drop of that glorious sauce
- The white Rioja or Albari n cooks tame the unique flavor of the cod
- This can be eaten as a main meal or you can cut the cod into much smaller bites to serve as a form of tapas
Hints and Precautions
- Do not get the oil too hot because it will cook the fish too much and the gelatin which is required as an emulsifying agent will be destroyed
- A heavy-bottomed or clay pan ought to be used. This can be useful in ensuring that there is a uniform heat and thus swirling is easier
- The thing is patience. Take your time—the sauce comes together slowly. Rush it, and you’ll end up with a broken, oily mess
- Bacalao al Pil-Pil, a meal that balances between plainness and refinement, and with one mouthful after another, a piece of Basque tableau. Just finding it new to cod or a long-time fan, this is a dish that transforms a few simple ingredients into pure gold on your plate
