Mina 1 ★ ★ 4.7
Mina has held one Michelin star since 2013 for Alvaro Garrido's modern-Basque tasting menu, now a 25-cover Indautxu room on Calle Ercilla.
History
Kokotxas began as a sailor's by-catch, with the throat lobes thrown back at port until 20th-century Basque cooks realised the gelatin made the silkiest pil pil sauces. Mina's Alvaro Garrido elevated kokotxas de merluza al pil pil to one of Bilbao's defining modern-Basque dishes, and the older kitchens (Casa Rufo, Anboto) run the cod-throat version with bread and garlic. The dish requires patience and a wide cazuela; the gelatin emulsifies with olive oil only with slow circular swirling.
Common allergens: Fish
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 600g hake or cod kokotxas (throat lobes)
- 200ml extra virgin olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, sliced thin
- 2 dried guindilla peppers, sliced
- Salt
Method
- Rinse the kokotxas, pat dry, and salt lightly.
- Heat the olive oil in a wide cazuela over low heat. Slowly colour the garlic and chili; remove and reserve.
- Slip the kokotxas into the warm oil, gelatin-side down. Cook 4 minutes at a bare simmer.
- Turn the kokotxas, cook 2 more minutes.
- Remove the kokotxas to a plate. Off the heat, swirl the cazuela in circular motion for 5 minutes; the gelatin emulsifies with the oil to form a thick yellow sauce.
- Return the kokotxas to the pan, scatter garlic and chili over, serve with bread.
Tip from the editors. Frozen kokotxas work; they release more gelatin and make the easiest emulsion. Defrost them slowly in the fridge overnight.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Where to eat kokotxas al pil pil
Kokotxas al pil pil in Bilbao
Casa Rufo ★ 4.5
Casa Rufo on Hurtado de Amezaga in Bilbao since 1955 grills the canonical Bilbao txuleta over open flame, between deli counter and dining room.
Signature: Txuleta, Bacalao al pil pil, Pimientos del piquillo
Order: The txuleta from the grill; the bacalao al pil pil as the starter.
Tip: Lunch 13:30 to 16:00, dinner 20:30 to 23:00; closed Sundays. The deli counter is worth a look.
La Despensa del Etxanobe ★ 4.3
La Despensa in Bilbao is Etxanobe's Michelin-Guide bistro side beside the Atelier, with a Bilbao tasting menu and traditional Basque a la carte plates.
More cities are in research. Want kokotxas al pil pil covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.