Pil-Pil Cod Recipe

Pil-Pil cod is a classic of seafood cuisine. After preparing the garnish and cooking the cod over low heat for several minutes, the sauce is prepared by making the cod dance with the olive oil until it creates an emulsion very similar to mayonnaise. The dish is not without difficulties, but even a novice and patient cook can get an excellent result.

To ensure success, keep the following rules in mind:

Use only olive oil; other fats will not result in the superior emulsion that this dish demands.

Use the best salted cod you can find or salt it yourself.

Use a pot or similar clay container that can be used in the kitchen.

And finally, when you go to put the fish in the casserole to start the sauce, make sure that the cod, olive oil and casserole are lukewarm.

Ingredients

2 pounds of desalted cod
1 1/2 cups olive oil
3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 small dried hot chile, seeded and cut into rings

Preparation

Drain the cod and dry it with absorbent paper. Cut into 3-inch squares, leaving the skin intact. When cooked later in olive oil, the skin will release the necessary gelatin to help emulsify the sauce.

In a 12-inch saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and chili and fry, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes, or until the garlic begins to brown. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic and chili to a small bowl and reserve for the garnish. Reserve the oil in the casserole.

 

Lower the heat to medium-low and add the cod pieces to the oil. Simmer for about 10 minutes, being careful not to let the oil get too hot. The oil should just sizzle around the edges of the fish pieces. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cod to a plate and pour the olive oil into a large heatproof bowl to cool. When the cod is cool enough to handle, remove the bones, leaving the pieces as intact as possible.

Return the cod pieces, skin side up and in a single layer, into the casserole dish. At this point, make sure the casserole, cod, and reserved olive oil are warm.

Put the casserole over medium heat and start by pouring 2 or 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the cod. This is where the dance begins: with both hands, rotate the pan in circles on the burner. Continue stirring until the first few drops of oil begin to emulsify. You’ll know the emulsion is starting when the oil droplets turn pale and stick together. Eventually, the entire sauce will turn a pale white color.

Continue to swirl the pan, pausing only to add the olive oil little by little, tablespoon by tablespoon, until all the oil has been incorporated into the emulsion. Depending on the quality of the cod and the gelatin content of its skin, the sauce will take between 15 and 30 minutes to make.

Divide the cod evenly among individual plates and spoon the sauce over the top. Garnish with the reserved garlic and chile. Serve hot or warm.