Basque Pil-Pil Cod with Confit Piquillo Peppers
Pil-pil is Basque alchemy at its purest: the cod's natural gelatin merges with olive oil through patient circular motion, creating a silky, pearl-white emulsion with no thickeners needed. Sweet, slow-caramelised piquillo peppers bring a smoky counterpoint that elevates this dish to something truly special.
Step by step preparation
Pat the cod loins dry with kitchen paper and leave to rest for 10 minutes at room temperature. This step is critical: surface moisture would break the emulsion later. Check the salt level — the cod should be fully desalted yet flavourful.
Confit the peppers: warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small pan over very low heat (no more than 60 °C / 140 °F). Add the piquillo peppers with the brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Cook for 15–18 minutes, barely stirring, until tender, glossy and lightly caramelised. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a clay cazuela (ideal for even heat retention), warm the remaining oil over medium-low heat. Fry the sliced garlic and dried chillies for 4–5 minutes until the garlic is pale gold and fragrant. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. The oil is now beautifully infused.
Reduce the heat to its lowest setting and wait until the oil cools to around 65 °C / 150 °F (it will stop bubbling). Place the cod loins skin-side up. Confit gently for 8–10 minutes: they should poach in warm oil, not fry. You will see tiny pearls of gelatin rising from the skin — that is the heart of pil-pil.
Carefully lift out the cod and keep it warm, covered. With the cazuela over the lowest possible heat, move it in slow, wide circles for 6–8 minutes: the gelatin will emulsify with the oil into a thick, pearlescent sauce. If it won't bind, add a tablespoon of cold water and keep swirling. Return the garlic and chillies to the sauce.
Nestle the cod loins back into the pil-pil and warm for 1 minute over the lowest heat to bring everything together. Serve straight from the cazuela, topping each loin with two or three confit piquillo peppers and a scatter of fresh parsley. Provide rustic bread to moor every last drop of sauce.
