Cod Arzak Style: New Basque Cuisine at Home

The Legacy of Juan Mari Arzak

Juan Mari Arzak (1942-2024) is considered the father of new Basque cuisine. From his Arzak restaurant in San Sebastián — three Michelin stars since 1989 — he transformed Spanish gastronomy by demonstrating that tradition and innovation are not enemies but allies.

His relationship with cod was almost spiritual. For Arzak, cod represented the essence of the Basque Country: a humble product that technique and care can elevate to the sublime. While other chefs sought exotic ingredients, Arzak returned again and again to cod, kokotxas, pil pil, and green sauces, always finding something new in the oldest things.

What set Arzak apart from traditional Basque cooks was his open mind. He traveled constantly, tasted flavors from other countries, and subtly integrated them into his cuisine. He didn't copy: he absorbed influences and filtered them through Basque sensibility. The result was a cod dish that tasted of Euskadi but looked out at the world.

New Basque Cuisine and Cod

In the 1970s, a group of Basque chefs — Arzak, Pedro Subijana, Karlos Arguiñano, Luis Irizar — began a movement that changed Spain: new Basque cuisine. It was based on clear principles:

• Exceptional local product: nothing replaces the raw materials from the Cantabrian Sea and Basque farmhouses.
• Modern techniques with respect: the microwave, the convection oven, concentrated reductions — new tools at the service of ancestral flavors.
• Presentation as art: in contrast to stews served in earthenware casseroles, new Basque cuisine introduced individual plating, light sauces, and color.
• Less quantity, more quality: smaller portions but with better ingredients and more refined techniques.

Cod was the battlefield where new Basque cuisine fought its most visible revolution. Moving from pil pil in an earthenware casserole to confit cod with light sauces and seasonal vegetables was a change that reflected a country in transformation.

This recipe is inspired by the technique and style of Juan Mari Arzak. It is not a literal reproduction, but our interpretation based on his teachings and culinary philosophy.

Ingredients for 4 people

Step-by-step recipe in Arzak's style

Step 1 — Prepare the vegetables. Cut the green peppers into fine strips (julienne). Finely slice the spring onion, including part of the green stem. Thinly slice the garlic. Roughly chop the parsley — Arzak preferred parsley with some texture, not puréed.

Step 2 — Make the vegetable base. In a large pan, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the spring onion for 5 minutes without browning. Add the green peppers and cook for another 8-10 minutes until tender but still retaining their shape and vibrant green color.

Step 3 — Add the txakoli. Increase the heat for a moment and pour in the 100 ml of txakoli. Let the alcohol evaporate for 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat, add the chilli pepper and sliced garlic. Cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in half of the chopped parsley. This is the base of the Arzak-style green sauce.

Step 4 — Confit the cod. In another pan or casserole, heat the remaining olive oil over very low heat (55-65 °C). Place the cod loins skin-side up. Confit for 8 minutes without moving. Gently flip and cook for another 6 minutes. The cod should be tender, juicy, with flakes visible but not falling apart.

Step 5 — Assemble the dish. Distribute the green vegetable sauce in the center of each plate. Place a cod loin on top, skin-side up. Pour a spoonful of the confit oil over it. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve immediately.

Arzak's Green Sauce: What Makes It Special

Arzak's green sauce is not the typical green sauce with peas and parsley you'll find in many Basque cookbooks. It has its own nuances that set it apart:

• Txakoli instead of generic white wine: the slightly acidic sharpness of txakoli provides a freshness that a common white wine cannot achieve.
• Italian green pepper as a base: not Padrón pepper or piquillo pepper. The Italian variety has a sweet-herbaceous flavor that integrates without dominating.
• Spring onion with stem: the green part of the stem adds color and a more delicate flavor than conventional onion.
• Parsley in two stages: one half cooked (integrated into the sauce) and the other raw (for freshness when serving). This trick is very typical of Arzak: achieving layers of flavor with the same ingredient.
• Not thickened: the sauce is light, almost a concentrated vegetable broth. It never contains flour or roux. The creaminess comes from the olive oil and natural vegetable juices.

Avant-Garde Techniques Applicable at Home

Arzak was an tireless researcher. In his "Creativity Bank" — the ideas laboratory of his restaurant — he developed techniques that are now considered standard in haute cuisine. Some are applicable at home:

1. Low-temperature confit: cooking cod in oil at 55-65 °C is the most accessible haute cuisine technique. You only need a thermometer and patience.
2. Contrasting textures: if you can dehydrate the cod skin in the oven and use it as a crisp, you create the contrast Arzak sought in every dish.
3. Infused oils: instead of chopped parsley, you can blanch a bunch of parsley for 30 seconds, cool it in ice, blend it with oil, and strain. You get an intense green oil that is used as a finish.
4. Txakoli reduction: boil 200 ml of txakoli until it reduces to 50 ml. You concentrate the flavor and get a full-bodied base sauce that you can keep in the fridge for a week.

To see how the pil pil technique is applied in the context of Spain's most famous cooking competition, check out our article on cod pil pil in MasterChef. And if you prefer the classic Bilbao version, don't miss our Bilbao-style cod recipe.

Elena Arzak: The Evolution Continues

Elena Arzak, Juan Mari's daughter, is now the head chef of the family restaurant and maintains its three Michelin stars. Named World's Best Female Chef in 2012 by The World's 50 Best, she has taken her father's cuisine a step further:

• More daring with textures: Elena incorporates airs, gels, and foams that Juan Mari barely touched, but always in service of the Basque flavor.
• More global influences: while Juan Mari looked to France and Asia, Elena incorporates Latin America and Africa.
• Sustainability: Elena has introduced stricter sustainability and seasonal criteria than her father.
• Cod still reigns: both father and daughter agree that cod is the defining ingredient of modern Basque cuisine.

Recommended Wine Pairing

• Getaria Txakoli: the natural pairing. The acidity of txakoli cleanses the palate between bites of confit cod.
• Young white Rioja: a fresh Viura adds fruitiness without competing with the green sauce.
• Champagne or brut nature Cava: the bubbles and acidity make a surprisingly good pairing with confit cod.
• Natural Basque cider: the most purist option. The penetrating acidity of the cider contrasts with the fat of the olive oil.

Nutritional Values per Serving

Conclusion

Cod in Arzak's style is a lesson in how innovation and tradition can coexist on the same plate. Juan Mari Arzak did not break with Basque cuisine: he took it to places no one had imagined. His green sauce with txakoli, green peppers, and parsley is a perfect example of this philosophy — ingredients that any Basque farmhouse would have in its pantry, treated with a technique that produces three-Michelin-star results.

Today, Elena Arzak continues that legacy, demonstrating that new Basque cuisine continues to evolve without losing its roots. And you can bring a part of that philosophy into your kitchen: respect the product, control the temperature, take your time, and let the ingredients speak.

For an exceptional result, start with cod that lives up to the challenge. At Bacalalo, we select cod loins of the quality required for these types of preparations. Discover our collection of desalted cod.

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