Bacalao al Pil-Pil: From the Sea to the Table
Bacalao al Pil-Pil is a traditional Spanish dish made with salted codfish (bacalao) cooked in olive oil with garlic and chili peppers. The dish gets its name from the emulsified sauce ("pil-pil") that forms as a result of the combination of olive oil, fish gelatin, and vigorous stirring. Here's a basic recipe for making Bacalao al Pil-Pil.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450g) Salted codfish Desalted and deboned
- 1 cup (240ml) Extra-virgin olive oil
- 6-8 Garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 1-2 Dried chili peppers (such as guindilla or Piquillo), chopped (adjust to taste)
- Salt (if needed, but be cautious due to the saltiness of the cod)
- Fresh parsley chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
Desalting the Codfish:
- Rinse the salted codfish under cold running water to remove excess salt.
- Place the codfish in a bowl of cold water and let it soak for at least 24 hours, changing the water 3-4 times. This process will help remove the remaining salt from the fish.
Preparing the Codfish:
- Once the codfish is properly desalted, pat it dry with paper towels and cut it into serving-sized portions.
Cooking the Pil-Pil Sauce:
- In a deep, wide skillet or clay pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat.
- Add the sliced garlic and chili peppers to the oil. Cook them gently until the garlic becomes golden and fragrant, but not browned.
- Carefully remove the garlic and chili peppers from the oil and set them aside.
Cooking the Codfish:
- Increase the heat to medium and gently place the codfish fillets into the oil. Cook the fish for about 5-7 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the fillets. The cod should be cooked through and flaky.
Emulsifying the Sauce:
- Gently move the codfish fillets around in the oil as they cook. This will help release the natural gelatin from the fish.
- As the gelatin is released, the oil and gelatin will begin to emulsify, forming the characteristic pil-pil sauce. You will notice the sauce thickening and becoming slightly creamy.
Assembling the Dish:
- Return the previously cooked garlic and chili peppers to the skillet with the codfish. Gently mix them with the pil-pil sauce.
Serving:
- Once the pil-pil sauce is well emulsified and the fish is cooked, remove the skillet from the heat.
- Serve the Bacalao al Pil-Pil hot, garnished with chopped fresh parsley.
Enjoy your Bacalao al Pil-Pil with some crusty bread or boiled potatoes to soak up the delicious sauce.
Notes
Remember that Bacalao al Pil-Pil requires some practice to perfect the emulsification of the sauce. The key is to gently move the fish around in the oil without breaking it apart too much, allowing the gelatin to create a creamy, flavorful sauce.