Berasategui's Pil Pil Cod: Haute Cuisine Version

Who is Martín Berasategui?

Martín Berasategui is one of the most acclaimed chefs in Spain and the world. With 12 Michelin stars across his restaurants — including the three at the restaurant bearing his name in Lasarte-Oria (Guipúzcoa) — he represents the pinnacle of contemporary Basque cuisine.

Born in San Sebastián in 1960, he grew up in the kitchens of the family restaurant. His cuisine is characterized by an absolute respect for the product, an almost obsessive refined technique, and a unique ability to transform traditional Basque recipes into dishes that challenge the senses. Bacalao al pil pil is one of the dishes that best represents this philosophy: the same four familiar ingredients, but executed with a precision that distinguishes a homemade recipe from a haute cuisine dish.

Berasategui has dedicated decades to studying the pil pil emulsion. For him, it is not just a sauce: it is an exercise in culinary alchemy where the gelatin from the cod, olive oil, and thermal control create something that transcends the sum of its parts.

Berasategui's Philosophy for Pil Pil

What distinguishes Berasategui's pil pil from the traditional version is not a secret ingredient but a level of control and precision achievable only after years of practice. His approach is based on several principles:

• Exact thermal control: while the home cook uses "low heat" as a reference, Berasategui speaks of specific temperatures — 55 °C for the emulsion, never more than 65 °C during fish cooking.
• Emulsion texture: he seeks a sauce that is almost a cream, denser and silkier than the traditional version. He achieves this by working the emulsion longer and adding the infused oil in small amounts.
• The cod as the absolute star: nothing distracts from the fish's flavor. Garlic is present but never overpowering; the guindilla chili provides subtle warmth.
• The skin as an active ingredient: Berasategui treats the cod skin not as a byproduct but as the source of the dish's magic. Cod with thick, collagen-rich skin is non-negotiable.

This recipe is inspired by Martín Berasategui's technique and style. It is not a literal reproduction, but our interpretation based on his teachings and culinary philosophy.

Ingredients for 4 servings

Step-by-step Recipe: Berasategui Version

Step 1 — Prepare the cod with precision. Meticulously pat dry the desalted cod loins with paper towels. Berasategui insists that the cod must be completely dry. Check for any remaining bones and let the loins come to room temperature for 30 minutes outside the refrigerator. Cold cod makes even cooking difficult.

Step 2 — Infuse the oil. Pour 300 ml of oil into a wide, shallow pan. Over very low heat (no more than 60 °C), add the sliced garlic and guindilla peppers. The goal is to infuse the oil for 5-6 minutes without the garlic turning an intense golden color. They should be blonde, barely toasted. Remove garlic and guindillas and set aside.

Step 3 — Confit the cod at low temperature. This is the key to the haute cuisine version: the cod is not fried, it's confited. Reduce the heat to the absolute minimum. The oil should be between 55-65 °C. Place the loins skin-side up. Cook for 8 minutes without moving. The cooking is slow; the cod should never bubble. Gently flip and cook for another 6-7 minutes.

Step 4 — Remove the cod. Carefully remove the loins with a wide spatula, placing them on a preheated platter in the oven at 60 °C. Cover with plastic wrap. The cod should stay warm but not continue cooking.

Step 5 — Create the Berasategui emulsion. Remove the pan from the heat. Let the oil cool to 50-55 °C (2-3 minutes). Begin circular movements with the pan, holding it with both hands. Berasategui's technique is more methodical: broad, constant movements, always in the same direction. After 2 minutes, if you have fish stock, add a tablespoon — this accelerates the emulsion and gives it more body. Continue moving for 5-7 minutes until you obtain a dense, creamy, almost pearlescent sauce.

Step 6 — Final assembly. Return the loins to the pan, spoon the emulsified sauce over them. Crown with the golden garlic and guindilla peppers. Serve immediately.

Haute Cuisine Techniques Applied to Pil Pil

What makes this recipe a haute cuisine version is not the complexity of ingredients but the application of techniques that Berasategui has perfected over decades:

1. Temperature-controlled confit: cooking the cod at 55-65 °C ensures that the proteins do not contract excessively, maintaining a juicy and flaky texture that melts when pressed with a fork.
2. Emulsification at relatively cool temperatures: working the emulsion at 50-55 °C (instead of the usual 60-65 °C) produces a more stable sauce with greater viscosity.
3. Resting the cod in dry heat: keeping the fish in the oven at 60 °C while the sauce is prepared prevents cooling without overcooking.
4. Addition of gelatinous stock: a tablespoon of concentrated, collagen-rich fish fumet reinforces the emulsion's structure, a technique Berasategui has mentioned in several interviews.
5. Pre-tempering: the 30 minutes of tempering the cod before cooking ensures even cooking from the center to the surface.

If you want to see how the pil pil technique is applied in Spain's most popular cooking competition format, don't miss our article on MasterChef's Bacalao al Pil Pil.

Berasategui vs. Classic Pil Pil: A Comparison

Haute Cuisine Plating

In a Michelin-starred restaurant, presentation is an essential part of the dish. Berasategui plates his pil pil in a minimalist yet impactful way:

• Deep white plate: with no distracting decoration. The contrast of the off-white pil pil against white porcelain is elegant and clean.
• Centered loin: a single loin per serving, placed in the center of the plate with the skin perfectly visible.
• Mirror sauce: the emulsion is poured around the cod, forming a uniform mirror, not on top.
• Garlic as decoration: three or four slices of golden garlic strategically placed on the loin.
• Guindilla as a color accent: a guindilla pepper resting on the edge of the plate provides a reddish contrast.
• Optional green oil: some interpret a thin drizzle of parsley oil around the pil pil mirror. This is a modern license, not essential.

Pairing and Accompaniments

A pil pil of this caliber deserves a fitting pairing:

• Txakoli from Getaria: the quintessential Basque pairing. Its acidity and slight effervescence cut through the richness of the oil. A Txomin Etxaniz or Ameztoi are safe bets.
• Albariño Rías Baixas: if you prefer a white with more body, an Albariño aged on its lees provides complexity without overpowering.
• Godello from Bierzo: a lesser-known but excellent alternative. Minerality and white fruit complement the cod.
• Crystal bread (pan de cristal): for dipping in the sauce. No thick bread that absorbs too much — crystal bread allows you to enjoy the emulsion without feeling heavy.
• Tender greens salad: a few lamb's lettuce leaves with a few drops of Modena vinegar for a fresh counterpoint.

To explore more recipes with cod kokotxas and other noble parts of cod common in haute cuisine, consult our complete guide to cod kokotxas.

Nutritional Values per serving

Conclusion

Berasategui's bacalao al pil pil doesn't reinvent the dish; it perfects it. The same four traditional ingredients, executed with a level of thermal control and technical precision that transforms the everyday into the extraordinary. The difference lies in the details—the 30 minutes of tempering, the exact oil temperatures, the extra emulsification time.

You don't need a Michelin-starred kitchen to replicate this version. You need patience, a good kitchen thermometer, and, above all, exceptional cod with thick, gelatin-rich skin. With these elements, you can elevate your homemade pil pil to the haute cuisine level that Berasategui has been serving for decades.

At Bacalalo, we select cod directly from the producer, with thick loins and intact skin, ideal for these demanding preparations. Discover our collection of desalted cod and take your pil pil to the next level.

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