Bacalao al pil-pil – cod in emulsified garlic oil

Four ingredients, one transformation: desalted cod, good olive oil, garlic and a guindilla. From the fish's gelatine and the oil, patient swirling builds the golden pil-pil sauce — the sound in the cazuela gives the dish its name. Basque cooking in its purest form.

Fish & Seafood Category
30 MIN Prep time
15 MIN Cook time
4 people Servings
Bacalao al pil-pil – cod in emulsified garlic oil

Preparation

Soaking (for salt cod)

Desalt the salted cod for 48 hours in the fridge in plenty of cold water, changing the water several times a day. (Lightly salt fresh cod only.) Pat dry.

Garlic oil

Warm the olive oil gently in a cazuela, letting the garlic and guindilla turn golden over low heat for 3–4 minutes — without browning. Remove.

Gentle cooking

Lay the pieces of cod in the hand-warm oil (about 60–65 °C) and confit them very gently for 8–10 minutes, until just set; the fish releases its gelatine as it cooks.

Binding the pil-pil

Remove the pieces, take the pan off the heat and swirl the oil with the fish juices in circular motions until a creamy, pale-golden emulsion forms. Return the cod and arrange with the garlic and guindilla.

Why this wine?

The Caprice sets a cooler, more precise counterpoint with its flinty, saline minerality — very close to the dish's Atlantic origins.
Good to know

Tips & insights

  • Cook the cod gently in lukewarm olive oil, never fry it; the oil should only softly shimmer, so the fish stays juicy.
  • Cook the gelatine-rich loin fillet skin-side down, since the emulsion forms from skin and oil.
  • Let the garlic oil cool a little before emulsifying and swirl the pan gently until the sauce binds creamy-yellow.
  • If the emulsion does not come together, a small sieve or a whisk helps you work the oil into the fish juices.
  • Use soaked stockfish or fresh cod and choose evenly thick pieces.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which wine pairs with bacalao al pil-pil?

The Caprice. With flinty, saline minerality it sets a cool, precise counterpoint, very close to the dish's Atlantic origin, and keeps the garlic oil fresh. For more richness, reach for the Louré, whose body carries the emulsified sauce and gives it depth.

How does the pil-pil emulsion succeed?

Cook the cod gently in olive oil, take it out and let the oil cool a little with the fish juices that have escaped. Then swirl the pan in circular motions or stir with a sieve until oil and gelatine bind into a creamy, pale-yellow sauce.

Which cod is suitable?

Traditionally, soaked stockfish, desalted for two days in water, gives the most aroma and the gelatine needed for the emulsion. Fresh cod loin fillet also works well. Choose thick, even pieces with skin, so they stay juicy and bind the sauce.

What do I serve with it?

Bacalao al pil-pil needs little: roasted country bread to take up the sauce is enough. For more, offer plain boiled potatoes or a small green salad. Keep the side restrained, so the fine emulsion and the cod stay at the centre.

The wine to pair

See all wines for this category

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