2023-05-02

Bacallà a 65 amb crema de pequillos (Perelló)

We had this for lunch  at Perelló, a bacalao vendor and excellent cafe in Mercat Ninot. I assumed the bacalao was cooked sous vide at 65C, and then served on a smooth puree of pequillo peppers. My attempt to recreate it at home was disappointing: the pequillo sauce was fine but the fish was too salty, and not at all tender and flaking. I may have under-desalted it (causing the centers to stay stiff), or I may have overcooked it (the fish exuded a lot more white liquid than I expected).  I need to try it again and adjust my technique, because I've done similar sous vide preps for Bacalao Pil Pil and they've come out very well.

For the sauce, I would normally use garlic and oil, but I had left over oil from my super garlicky Toum sauce that I wanted to use up.

A light serving for 2.

250 g Bacalao loin, skin on
225 g drained Pequillo Peppers from a jar
 10 g Extra Virgin Olive Oil
 25 g Toum Oil
  5 g Salt

Cut the Bacalao loin into 2 pieces for serving and de-salt it in a bowl of water for two nights, changing every day.
Dry and put in a sous vide bag and seal.
Cook sous vide for 45 minutes at 65C.



While that's cooking, combine Pequillo Peppers, Oils, and Salt in a vessel and blitz with a stick blender until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Drain and reserve the white liquid from the Bacalao bag; this should contain protein sufficient to make a Pil Pil sauce when blended with oil.
I seared the skin of the Bacalao portions with a Searzall torch, but don't think this added much; it's not something Perelló did.


Spread some Pequillo sauce on a plate, top with Bacalao.
We served with pan fried potatoes.
Garnish with parsley.




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