Taste of France: Brandade

Salt cod is very appreciated in Brazil, Portugal and also Spain. Last week I found a good piece in my local market and I can’t resist and bought a tray with two large pieces. So I kept it until I had an inspiration, that came when I saw my dear friend Carlos’ brandade photo .

Brandade is a classic French dish; it goes by the formally name of, Brandade de Morue Nîmes (Ragout of Cod Nîmes). I had been sawing the recipe in several blogs, like Elvira´s Bistrot and many others. However I make the recipe from Narda Lepes’ cookbook she adds a poached egg on top and I like the idea. The most of recipes had smashes potatoes to dilute the flavor but I didn’t use.

Brandade was conceived in Provence but is today a traditional dish of the neighboring region, Languedoc an area west of the Rhone River with its southern boundary being the Mediterranean Sea.

Lightly flavored with garlic, nutmeg, and white pepper, it can be eaten cold on toast but is generally warmed and served as a main dish with croutons. And it can be accompanied by plain boiled potatoes. Alternately, it can be served au gratin with a light dusting of bread crumbs and passed through the oven.

Ingredients

• · 1 kg of salt cod
• · Bouquet garni
• · 1 garlic head (roasted)
• · 1 cups of olive oil
• · 1 cup of cream
• · poached egg per person
• · juice of one lemon
• · Nutmeg, freshly parsley and white pepper

The night before

Cut the cod evenly into squares, put in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Change the water several times during the next 24 hours. When ready, the cod should taste just a bit saltier than a cooked fish that has been seasoned with salt.

Method

For the roasted garlic:

Cut the tips of the garlic head, (unpeeled) wrap up into an aluminum foil with a tread of olive oil. Bake (220°C/428F) for about 10 minutes or until the cloves are soft.

Note: Making this you see that the garlic flavor turns soft. You may, also use this paste as a dip with olive oil and salt, is delicious!!!

Poach the cod very gently in water for 8 minutes with bouquet garni. Drain, and then remove the skin and all bones, and reduce the flesh to small shre ds. Put a half of the oil in a small pan and the cream with the roasted garlic in another. Heat each in medium te mperature and maintain this temperature while doing the following:

Heat the other half oil on a pan. Add the cod then crush and work the mixture with a wooden spoon, while heating gently. Mix carefully until the oil is absorbed and there no lumps fish. When it forms a fine paste, remove the pan from the heat. Without stopping the mixing process, began to alternatively add the oil and then the cream, using no more than a half teaspoonful at a time. Mix well after each addition.

When the mixture is very creamy it can be seasoned with the lemon juice, nutmeg and white pepper. The result should be a smooth white paste with the consistency of potato purée

Stir in parsley, spoon into a serving bow l, a nd serve topping the toasts. Garnish with green salad, the poached egg and drizzle with truffle oil if you have it.

Refrigerated, it will keep up to a week.