Bacalao a la Gallega

Bacalao a la gallega is Galicia's salt-cod dish: thick pieces poached gently with potatoes and onion, then covered with ajada, garlic and pimentón warmed in olive oil with a dash of vinegar. That red oil is the dish, not a little flourish at the end. There is no tomato sauce, no flour, and no browning to hide the cod.

I'm strict about one point. Fry the garlic only to pale gold, take the pan off the heat, and let the oil settle before the pimentón goes in. Paprika scorches quickly and turns bitter, while gentle heat lets it stain the oil brick red and keep its sweet, smoky depth. Keep the cod at a quiet poach as well. Boil it and those handsome flakes become dry scraps.

No hace falta haber pisado España. Frozen or vacuum-packed pre-desalted bacalao is an everyday, sensible choice and saves the long soak. If all you can buy is fresh cod, salt it lightly beforehand as directed in the tips; it will be softer and lack some cured depth, but the ajada still carries the plate. The note in my Margin says only, "pimentón fuera del fuego," paprika off the heat. Siempre sale, si lo sigues.