Basque

Medium · Hot

Bacalao al Pil-Pil con Patatas y Pimientos

Classic Basque pil-pil emulsion with tender cod, golden potatoes, and slow-cooked peppers — the swirl of the pan is the technique, the glossy sauce is the reward.

Recipe by

Aitor Elizondo

The Pintxo Purist

Prep

15 min

Cook

30 min

Total

45 min

Ingredients

Serves

Patatas

3medium
Quick look at Potato in the encyclopedia
peeled, sliced into rounds, thinly sliced

Pimientos

2large
Quick look at Bell Pepper in the encyclopedia
seeded, sliced into strips

Garnish

2tbsp
Quick look at Parsley in the encyclopedia
picked, roughly chopped, fresh
Garnish

Also needed

400g
Quick look at Cod Fillet in the encyclopedia
portion into 4 pieces, skin removed
1tbsp
Quick look at White Vinegar in the encyclopedia

Dish optimized for

Method

Mise en Place

Seed and slice bell peppers into strips. Chop garlic finely. Pick and roughly chop parsley.

Build the Base

In a wide cazuela or skillet, heat 4 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and sweat until fragrant and pale gold, about 2 minutes. Do not let it color.

Cook the Potatoes and Peppers

Push potatoes to the edges. Add bell pepper strips to the center. Cook slowly until sweet and soft, about 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.

The Cod and Pil-Pil Emulsion

Return potatoes and peppers to the pan. Baste everything with the pil-pil sauce. Insert probe thermometer into thickest part of cod; cook until internal temperature reaches 63°C (145°F). The pil-pil emulsion should not be cooked over high heat as it may break; maintain low to medium heat when emulsifying.

Plate and Finish

Finish with fresh parsley and a final pinch of salt. Serve immediately — pil-pil waits for no one.

Finish with fresh parsley and a final pinch of salt. Verify cod reached 63°C (145°F) before plating. Serve immediately — pil-pil waits for no one. Discard any remaining pil-pil with cod after service.

Nutri-Score

Good balance

A–E · lower is better · score 2

Calories

692

per serving

Low sugar · 4g

Protein

21g

Carbs

19g

Fat

60g

Sat. fat

Fiber

Sugar

Sodium

1290mg

Gluten FreeDairy FreeMediterraneanPescatarianLow CarbHeart HealthyAnti InflammatoryDiabetes FriendlyWeight ManagementHigh ProteinOmega 3 RichBalanced Macros

Nutri-Score is a general nutritional-balance guide, not medical or dietary advice.

Grade pending

Environmental impact

Estimated footprint

Grade pending · 73% ingredient coverage

kg CO₂e

≥0.4

per serving

Olive Oil drives 57% of this recipe’s estimated footprint.

Carbon from Poore & Nemecek 2018; water, land & runoff from Agribalyse — modelled averages for comparing recipes, not a measurement of your groceries.

Flavor Profile

Umami

Sweet

Salty

Sour

Bitter

Spicy

Textures

SilkyTenderSoft

Aromas

GarlickyBrinyHerbal

Kitchen Equipment

Primary Tool

Cazuela

Cazuela SkilletWide PanChef Knife Cutting Board Tongs Spatula Paper Towels Mixing Bowl

Counter FootprintMedium

Techniques

SwirlingSweating Emulsifying

Safety & Storage

Cooking Temperature

Cod must reach an internal temperature of 63°C (145°F) to ensure food safety. The pil-pil emulsion should not be cooked over high heat as it may break; maintain low to medium heat when emulsifying.

Cross Contamination

Raw cod presents a high risk for cross-contamination. Use separate cutting boards, knives, and plates for raw fish. Never place cooked cod on surfaces that held raw fish without sanitizing first.

High Risk Population

Pregnant women, young children, elderly individuals, and immunocompromised persons should only consume cod that has been fully cooked to the recommended internal temperature. Avoid raw or undercooked fish preparations.

Storage

Leftover pil-pil with cod should be refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking. Store in airtight containers at 4°C (40°F) or below and consume within 2-3 days. Reheat to 74°C (165°F) before serving.

Handling

If using frozen cod, thaw safely in the refrigerator overnight, under cold running water, or in the microwave using the defrost setting. Never thaw at room temperature. Keep fish cold until ready to cook.

Pro Tips

Technique

The pil-pil lives or dies by temperature — keep the heat low and swirl the cazuela in slow, confident circles. Never shake it. The emulsion forms from patience, not force, and you will feel it tighten into that silky, glossy sauce as the cod releases its gelatine.

Substitution

If you cannot find fresh cod fillets, salt cod (desalted overnight in the fridge, changed twice) works beautifully and is actually more traditional in the Basque country. The pil-pil will be even more pronounced from the concentrated protein.

Equipment

Use a wide, heavy terracotta cazuela or a broad cast-iron skillet — the wide surface area is not negotiable. You need room to swirl and to let the garlic perfume everything evenly without crowding.

From the chef

Pil-pil is not a sauce you make — it is a sauce you coax. The cod releases its gelatine into warm olive oil and you swirl the cazuela in slow, patient circles until that trembling emulsion forms. It either comes together or it breaks, and there is no faking it. Here the cod sits on golden potatoes and sweet slow-cooked peppers, the whole thing bathed in that glossy sauce. Get the oil temperature right, keep the heat low, and the dish rewards you with something clean, briny, and precise. Serve it the moment it is ready.

Aitor ElizondoThe Pintxo Purist

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TagsBasqueCodPil PilEmulsionPotatoesPeppersTraditionalOlive OilGarlic

AllergensFish

Source: generated · June 10, 2026