Bacalao al Pil Pil
This is a classic Spanish salt cod recipe with a thick garlic, olive oil and chili sauce: also known as bacalao al pil pil!
Ingredients
- 1⅓ lb salt cod fillets (600 g) desalted, loin pieces preferred
- 1 cup extra‑virgin olive oil (240 ml)
- 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 dried guindilla or 1 mild dried chili
Instructions
Prepare the cod
-
Rinse the salt cod and soak it in cold water for 24 to 48 hours, changing the water every 8 hours. Pat dry before cooking.
Infuse the oil
-
Add the olive oil, sliced garlic and dried chili to a wide pan. Warm gently over low heat until the garlic turns pale golden. Remove the garlic and chili and set aside.
Cook the cod
-
Place the cod fillets in the warm oil, skin‑side down. Keep the heat low — the oil should never bubble aggressively. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until the cod releases its gelatin and turns opaque.
Start the emulsification
-
Remove the cod and set it aside on a warm plate. Keep the oil over low heat. Begin swirling the pan in slow, steady circular motions. The oil will gradually turn cloudy as the gelatin emulsifies.
Build the pil pil sauce
-
Continue swirling until the sauce thickens into a glossy, creamy consistency. If it’s too thick, add a spoonful of warm water. If it breaks, lower the heat and keep swirling until it comes back together.
Finish the dish
-
Return the cod to the pan and spoon the pil pil sauce over the fillets. Add the reserved garlic and chili back on top.
Serve
-
Plate the cod with plenty of sauce. Serve immediately with crusty bread.
