The exquisite cocochas or kokotxas, as they are called in Basque, are extremely popular in Basque cuisine, where we can find them cooked in multiple ways. They correspond to the lower part of the head of the fish that is, to the chin, and have a smooth texture and a unique flavor. Without a doubt, they are the juiciest part of the code and, therefore, it is not surprising that they are so appreciated.
One of the most popular ways of cooking cocochas is pil pil, an emulsified sauce that is also very characteristic of the Basque Country. If you also want to learn how to prepare this recipe, follow the instructions that we share to know how to make cod with pil.
Ingredients to make Cocochas de bacalao al pil:
- 500 grams of cod shells
- 200 milliliters of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cayenne
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 sprig of fresh parsley
- 1 bay leaf
How to make Cocochas de bacalao al pil pil:
- To prepare this incredible dish of cocochas al pil, few ingredients are needed, but some skill to mix the sauce and form the pil, which must always be done calmly and without stress, since only then will you get a first-class pil. That said, clean the cocochas well and cut them if their pieces are too large.
- Peel the garlic cloves. To do this, hit the teeth with your hand or the flat part of a knife, so the skin comes off very easily. Then cut the garlic into slices and fry them in a clay pot together with the cayenne pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. When they are a little golden, take them out and reserve them for later.
- Turn off the heat, let the oil warm up a bit and add the pieces of cocochas in the casserole with the bay leaf. To make them confit a bit, cook them slowly and over a very low heat for approximately 4 minutes.
- Trick: The texture of the cococha is very gelatinous and for this reason, when cooked, it always remains sweet. They should not be cooked for more than the stipulated time.
- After the minutes, add the sliced garlic and add oil little by little to be able to mix it with the juice of the cocochas, always with the lukewarm oil and without letting it get hotter than necessary. To emulsify the sauce, take the casserole by the handles or ends with some cloths so as not to burn yourself and move it in circular movements until you see that it is taking on a thick texture and turning a whitish-yellowish color.
- Trick: There are also those who bind the sauce by removing the cocochas and using a fine mesh strainer, making quick circular movements in the oil. The emulsion is achieved by mixing the oil with the fish juice.
- A good trick to chop the parsley easily and without waste is to put it in the blender glass and chop it up with scissors. In this way, you can chop it up to the size you want and without wasting an iota. You will use the chopped parsley to decorate the plate when serving it.
- You already have your plate ready! In this case, we have accompanied the recipe for cod in pil sauce with some grilled green asparagus and some crunchy toast, although there are many more accompaniments that will fit perfectly with this dish.
Cocochas or kokotxas al pil pil – Nutritional value and recommendations
The cocochas can be made of hack or cod and their preparation can be in different forms and versions. Focusing on the recipe that concerns us here, we must say that cod cocochas can also be served in pil sauce with clams or baby eels. To do this, we recommend steaming the clams and adding them at the end or sautéing the baby eels with the cocochas.
Regarding the nutritional value of the dish, the cocochas, like the rest of the fish, are rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals. In itself, they do not contain many calories; however, since a large amount of oil is needed to make this dish, the result is a fairly caloric recipe, which should be eaten in moderation.
