Bacallà a la Llauna

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Non-reactive container of at least 3 litres, for desalting
• •Shallow steel llauna or baking tin, about 30 by 20cm
• •Heavy frying pan, about 28cm
• •Fine metal sieve
• •Kitchen thermometer

Instructions

1. 1

   Desalt the cod

   Rinse the loose salt from the cod and place it skin-side up in a non-reactive container. Cover it with cold water by 5cm and refrigerate for 48 hours, changing the water every 12 hours. Keep it below 4°C throughout. After 48 hours, cook a small trimming and taste it; the cod should remain pleasantly savory without tasting harsh. If it is still too salty, soak it for another 12 hours in fresh water.

   Thinner tail pieces may be ready after 24 to 36 hours, while very thick loins can require 60 hours. Desalting follows thickness, not the clock alone.
2. 2

   Dry and heat

   Drain the cod, press it carefully between clean towels and leave it uncovered in the refrigerator for 20 minutes so the surface dries. Heat the oven to 200°C conventional, or 180°C fan. Set a shallow 30 by 20cm metal baking tray beside the stove.

3. 3

   Flour the cod

   Spread the flour on a plate. Coat every cod piece lightly, including the skin, then shake off every loose patch. You want a fine veil of flour, not a heavy shell. That thin coating will later bind the wine and seasoned oil against the fish.

4. 4

   Shallow-fry briefly

   Heat the olive oil in a 28cm frying pan over medium-high heat until it reaches about 170°C and a pinch of flour fizzes at once. Fry the cod in two batches so the pan stays hot, skin-side down for 2 minutes and flesh-side down for 90 seconds. It should be pale gold outside and still undercooked within. Transfer it to the metal tray, skin-side down.

5. 5

   Build the dressing

   Pass the frying oil through a fine sieve into a heatproof jug, discard the flour crumbs and measure 90ml back into the pan. Set it over medium-low heat, add the sliced garlic and cook for 60 to 90 seconds, just until pale gold. Take the pan completely off the heat, wait 15 seconds and stir in the pimentón for 10 seconds. Pimentón scorches quickly and turns bitter, so direct heat ends here.

6. 6

   Add wine and parsley

   Still away from the flame, pour in the wine gradually, standing back from the first splutter. Return the pan to medium heat and boil for 2 minutes, stirring, until the sharp smell of raw wine softens. Stir in two-thirds of the parsley, then spoon the garlic and all the red-gold sauce over and around the cod.

7. 7

   Finish in the llauna

   Bake for 7 minutes, until the sauce bubbles around the edges and lightly clings to the cod. The thickest piece should separate into broad pearly flakes and reach 63°C at its center. Give a very thick loin 1 or 2 minutes more, but no longer than needed. Rest for 3 minutes, scatter over the remaining parsley and carry the llauna straight to the table. Taste before considering salt; properly desalted bacallà rarely needs any.

Chef Tips

• •Buy thick, even salt-cod loins with the skin attached. Thin tail pieces desalt and cook faster, which makes four equal portions difficult to finish together. Pésalo, no lo adivines.
• •Frozen pre-desalted bacallà is a sound substitute. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, drain it and dry it thoroughly before flouring. It will be slightly softer and milder than cod desalted at home.
• •Use sweet pimentón, not chili powder. A gently smoked pimentón is acceptable, but a very hot or strongly smoky one buries the garlic and cured cod.
• •A proper llauna is a shallow metal tray. A steel brownie tin of similar size works well because it heats quickly; glass or thick pottery takes longer and gives less immediate bubbling around the fish.
• •Serve it with plain cooked white beans, mongetes, or boiled potatoes and bread for the garlicky oil. Keep the side quiet. The bacallà has already said what it came to say.
• •A dry Catalan white made from Xarel·lo or Garnatxa Blanca suits the salt cod and garlic. Serve the same style of dry wine used in the sauce.

Advance Preparation

• •Begin desalting thick salt-cod loins 48 hours before cooking and change the refrigerated water every 12 hours. Very thick pieces may need an additional 12 hours.
• •Once desalted, the cod can be dried and held uncovered on a rack in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. The dry surface takes a finer, more even coat of flour.
• •Prepare the garlic, parsley and measured pimentón before frying. Once the cod leaves the pan, the dressing moves quickly and the pimentón should not be left sitting over direct heat.
• •Cook the finished dish just before serving. Leftovers keep refrigerated for 1 day, but reheating tightens the cod; warm them gently in a covered pan with a spoonful of water.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 400g)