Basque-Style Salt Cod In Pil-Pil Sauce
10m prep 10m cook 20m ready
A classic Basque dish featuring salt cod fillets gently cooked in olive oil with garlic and chili, then served in a creamy emulsified pil-pil sauce. The toasted garlic and chili add a distinctive flavor and aroma.
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 4 of 6 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 295 mg
- Iron: 3.65 mg
- Magnesium: 72.7 mg
- Phosphorus: 478 mg
- Potassium: 967 mg
- Zinc: 2.04 mg
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
Soak the salt cod fillets in cold water for 24 hours, changing the water 2 or 3 times, then rinse and pat dry. (If using ready-to-cook fillets, skip this step.)
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Step 2.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy frying pan or round earthenware dish over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and chopped red chilli and fry gently until golden brown, about 2–3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the garlic and chilli and set aside.
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Step 3.
Place the salt cod fillets skin-side up in the pan or dish and cook gently for 4–6 minutes, until the skin is lightly golden and the fish is just cooked through. Turn the fillets over and remove the pan from the heat.
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Step 4.
Pour the warm oil from the pan into a bowl or jug. While the pan is off the heat, slowly drizzle the oil back into the pan while moving the pan in a circular motion to emulsify the sauce until it becomes thick and translucent, about 1–2 minutes.
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Step 5.
Season the sauce with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Sprinkle the reserved fried garlic and chilli over the cod. Serve immediately.
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