Summary
The Thermomix doesn't cook by itself, but it can turn many Holy Week recipes from a half-day project into something you can prepare in an hour. In this guide: Thermomix and Holy Week: the combination that simplifies everything, Vigil Stew, Bacalao al pil pil.
Thermomix and Holy Week: the combination that simplifies everything
The Thermomix doesn't cook by itself, but it can turn many Holy Week recipes from a half-day project into something you can prepare in an hour. Sauces that need 45 minutes of constant stirring, creams that need to be watched to prevent sticking, doughs that need to be kneaded by hand: the Thermomix takes care of all of it.
We have adapted 8 traditional Holy Week recipes for the Thermomix, with exact times, speeds, and temperatures. These aren't invented recipes: they are the same classic recipes, but using the robot to save time and effort.
All recipes have been tested on a Thermomix TM6. If you have a TM5 or TM31, the speeds and times are the same; the only difference is that the TM6 has more automatic functions.
1. Vigil Stew (Potaje de vigilia)
The star dish of Holy Week. The Thermomix chops vegetables, sautés, and cooks everything in the same bowl.
Ingredients (4-6 servings)
- 400 g cooked chickpeas (canned, drained)
- 300 g fresh spinach
- 250 g flaked desalted cod
- 1 onion, quartered
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 hard-boiled eggs
- 30 g extra virgin olive oil
- 500 ml water or vegetable broth
- Salt
Preparation
Place the onion and garlic in the bowl. Program for 5 seconds, speed 5. Scrape down the sides with the spatula. Add the oil and program for 10 minutes, 120 °C, speed 1.
Add the paprika and cumin. Program for 30 seconds, 100 °C, speed 1. Add the spinach, chickpeas, and water. Program for 15 minutes, 100 °C, speed 1, reverse spoon mode.
After 10 minutes, open the lid and add the flaked cod. Let it finish the remaining 5 minutes. Serve with quartered hard-boiled eggs and a drizzle of olive oil.
Total time: 30 minutes.
2. Bacalao al pil pil (Cod in pil pil sauce)
Pil pil in a Thermomix is controversial: purists say it loses its magic. They are partly right: the circular motion of the pot cannot be replicated. But the Thermomix achieves a perfect emulsion if you respect the temperatures.
Ingredients (4 servings)
- 4 desalted cod loins (200 g each)
- 200 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 dried chili pepper
Preparation
Place the oil, sliced garlic, and chili pepper in the bowl. Program for 10 minutes, 100 °C, speed 1. Remove the garlic and chili pepper with the spatula and set aside.
Place the cod loins in the Varoma dish with the skin facing up. Place the Varoma over the bowl (with the oil inside). Program for 15 minutes, Varoma temperature, speed 1.
Remove the Varoma with the cod. Now for the trick: add 2 tablespoons of the gelatinous juice released by the cod to the bowl (with the hot oil). Program for 20 seconds, speed 3. Repeat 3-4 times, adding juice and blending, until the oil emulsifies and forms a light-colored, thickened sauce.
If the emulsion doesn't form, add 1 tablespoon of cold water and program for 10 seconds, speed 4. The thermal shock helps to thicken.
Total time: 30 minutes.
3. Torrijas (Spanish French Toast)
The Thermomix perfectly infuses the milk, but the torrijas are fried separately.
Ingredients (8 torrijas)
- 500 ml whole milk
- 100 g sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 8 slices of day-old torrija bread
- 3 eggs
- Oil for frying
- Sugar and cinnamon for coating
Preparation
Place the milk, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon zest in the bowl. Program for 7 minutes, 90 °C, speed 2. Pour the milk into a wide container and let it cool completely.
Soak the bread slices for 3-5 minutes per side in the cold milk. Dip in beaten egg and fry in medium-heat oil for 2 minutes per side. Coat in sugar and cinnamon.
To make syrup with Thermomix: place 200 ml water, 150 g sugar, and 1 cinnamon stick. Program for 7 minutes, 100 °C, speed 2. Bathe the fried torrijas in the warm syrup for 1 minute per side.
Total time: 25 minutes + milk cooling.
4. Pastry Cream (for bartolillos or filling)
Pastry cream in a Thermomix turns out perfect because it stirs itself and doesn't stick.
Ingredients
- 500 ml milk
- 4 egg yolks
- 120 g sugar
- 40 g cornstarch
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 cinnamon stick
Preparation
Place the milk, lemon zest, and cinnamon stick in the bowl. Program for 7 minutes, 90 °C, speed 2. Strain, clean the bowl, and return the milk.
Add the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch. Program for 8 minutes, 90 °C, speed 4. The cream will thicken on its own. Pour into a container, cover with cling film touching the surface, and chill in the refrigerator.
Total time: 18 minutes + chilling.
5. Biscayan Sauce (Salsa vizcaína)
Biscayan sauce needs 45 minutes of slow-cooked onions. The Thermomix does it in 20.
Ingredients
- 4 large onions, quartered
- 6 choricero peppers (rehydrated, pulp scraped)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 50 g olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt
Preparation
Place the onions and garlic in the bowl. Program for 5 seconds, speed 5. Scrape down the sides. Add the oil and program for 20 minutes, 120 °C, speed 1.
Add the choricero pepper pulp, sugar, and salt. Program for 5 minutes, 100 °C, speed 1. If you want a fine sauce, program for 30 seconds, speed 5-7 progressively.
Separately, brown the floured cod loins in a pan. Place them in an ovenproof dish, cover with the Biscayan sauce, and bake for 10 minutes at 180 °C.
Total time: 35 minutes.
6. Cod Fritters (Buñuelos de bacalao)
Ingredients (25-30 fritters)
- 300 g flaked desalted cod
- 200 g flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 clove garlic
- Fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 100-150 ml water
- Oil for frying
Preparation
Place the garlic and parsley in the bowl. Program for 5 seconds, speed 7. Add the flaked cod, flour, eggs, baking powder, and 100 ml water. Program for 15 seconds, speed 4. The batter should have a spoonable consistency. If it's too thick, add more water and mix for 5 more seconds.
Heat oil to 180 °C. Using two spoons, form balls of batter and fry for 3-4 minutes until golden. Drain on absorbent paper.
Total time: 20 minutes.
7. Fish Soup (Sopa de pescado)
Ingredients (4 servings)
- 500 g rock fish (scorpionfish, monkfish, hake, mix)
- 1 onion
- 1 leek
- 1 carrot
- 2 cloves garlic
- 200 ml white wine
- 1 liter water
- 30 g olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper
Preparation
Place the onion, leek, carrot, and garlic in the bowl. Program for 5 seconds, speed 5. Add the oil and program for 10 minutes, 120 °C, speed 1.
Add the chopped fish, white wine, water, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Program for 20 minutes, 100 °C, speed 1.
Remove the bay leaf. Program for 1 minute, speed 5-10 progressively to blend. Pass through a sieve or fine strainer. Adjust salt. Serve with croutons and a drizzle of olive oil.
Total time: 35 minutes.
8. Pestiños with honey
Ingredients (30 pestiños)
- 300 g flour
- 100 ml olive oil
- 100 ml white wine
- 50 ml sweet anise liqueur
- Zest of 1 orange
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon anise seeds
- 1 pinch of salt
- 200 g honey for coating
- Oil for frying
Preparation
Heat the olive oil in a pan with the anise seeds and zests. When it starts to lightly smoke, remove and strain. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Place the flour and salt in the Thermomix bowl. Add the warm flavored oil, white wine, and sweet anise liqueur. Program for 20 seconds, speed 6. Scrape down the sides. Program for 2 minutes, dough mode.
Remove the dough, wrap in cling film, and let rest for 30 minutes. Roll out to 2 mm thick. Cut into 6x8 cm rectangles. Fold by joining two opposite corners (like a bow) and press to seal.
Fry in oil at 170 °C for 2 minutes per side. Drain. Heat the honey with 2 tablespoons of water in the microwave (30 seconds). Bathe the pestiños in the warm honey. Let drain on a rack.
Total time: 50 minutes (including resting time).
General tips for Thermomix during Holy Week
- Reverse blade mode is your ally. Use it for stews with large pieces (chickpeas, potatoes). It prevents the blades from shredding the ingredients.
- The Varoma is perfect for fish. Steam cooks without breaking the loins. Control temperature and time precisely.
- Clean the bowl between preparations. For quick cleaning: fill with water and 1 drop of soap. Program for 2 minutes, 60 °C, speed 10. Rinse.
- Sauces improve the next day. Prepare Biscayan sauce or stew on Maundy Thursday. Store in the refrigerator and reheat on Good Friday.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make all the recipes in a Thermomix TM5 or TM31?
Yes. The speeds and temperatures are compatible. The TM31 does not have reverse blade mode (use the butterfly whisk instead for recipes with large pieces). The TM5 and TM6 have the same basic functions.
Is it better to make bacalao al pil pil in a Thermomix or a pot?
In a traditional pot, the result is better because the circular motion of the pot emulsifies the sauce naturally. The Thermomix achieves an acceptable emulsion but with more effort. If you have experience with traditional pil pil, make it in a pot. If you've never managed to get the emulsion right, the Thermomix makes it easier.
Can I prepare desserts in advance?
Fritters and pestiños last 5-7 days in an airtight container. Torrijas, 2-3 days in the refrigerator. Pastry cream lasts 3 days in the refrigerator (always with cling film touching the surface). Prepare sweets between Wednesday and Maundy Thursday.
Which Thermomix model is best for these recipes?
The TM6 has the advantage of the integrated scale and interactive guided cooking, but for these recipes, there is no practical difference. Any model from the TM31 onwards will work.
Can I buy pre-desalted cod for these recipes?
Yes, and it is highly recommended. Desalting cod takes 48-72 hours, and if done incorrectly, it can ruin the recipe. At Bacalalo.com, we sell pre-desalted Icelandic cod, vacuum-packed and ready to cook. You receive it at home in 24-48 hours.
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