'Medium rare' cod?

Awful Scut Mk2

I was in Spain recently and ordered a cod dish, can't remember what it was, something with a sauce on top, one of the Basque recipes.

Anyway, it came out half done. When I called over the waiter to point this out, he offered to send it back and have it cooked more for me. I declined and said I didn't want it any more and argument then ensued with the snotty manager, who insisted that some customers preferred their fish that way.

I had never heard of this before. Was he bullsh*tting me?

I stuck to my guns anyhow and refused to pay for it.

Magic Monkey

Could have been Bacalao al pil pil. It's quite a gently cooked dish. Was the cod actually cold in the centre, but the sauce warm/hot?

Awful Scut Mk2

Think that's what it was actually. It was warm all through, but not well done. Tasted quite vile. I've eaten fish in Spain many times, but never had this undercooked thing, though.

The Sweeper

Would be surprised if it was Bacalao - that's dried, salted cod. It has to be rehydrated and rinsed of salt before it's used, and it has a very different texture to a piece of fresh cod.

I like my cod just turned opaque, so the flakes are still moist. There should be no jelly texture though, and no translucency to the flesh (as far as I'm concerned).

However, when you complain about a dish in a restaurant, and they offer to fix it, and you refuse, there really isn't anywhere else for them to go. "Can I fix it?" "No, I don't want it now."

Some places will be quicker off the mark than others with "Can I replace it with something else?" and "Okay, we won't charge you for that, sorry for the misunderstanding", but I don't think I could name an establishment where I know the waiting staff are given the autonomy to offer free food to the customers.

Did the manager arrive at your table in a snotty mood, or did he get snotty when you wouldn't let him fix this for you?

rubadub

Minesajackdaniels wrote: »

"Can I fix it?" "No, I don't want it now."

Because "can I fix it?" can mean bringing it in the back and dousing it with various bodily fluids, thats why I could imagine somebody refusing it.

The Sweeper

Oh, the cynicism! But yes, you do have a point to a degree. My own cynicism says 'fixing it' just involves putting it back in the microwave for two more minutes.

DadaKopf

Your cod may have been slightly undercooked. The northern Spaniards (at least) are really into their cod, it's widely available, and, as already said, usually salted - this is was bacalao usually refers to.

I think because we're so used to cod in our fish'n'chips, we don't realise how fine a fish it is. It's flavours are so delicate, and its flesh so loose that overcooking kills all the subtlety and delicate texture.

So, when cooking cod, it's generally slightly undercooked. That way, it keeps cooking slightly after taken off the heat, doesnt fall apart, retains its delicate texture and retains its subtle 'fishy' taste. This flavour is killed by a matter of seconds if overcooked.

Perhaps your bacalao was slightly undercooked, but I would imagine it was close to perfection, particularly if you were in a place known for its seafood such as Donostia.