Are you ready to take your taste buds on a gastronomic journey to France? My version of the classic brandade with salt cod is pure indulgence, full of flavour, and it will bring a touch of French cooking into your kitchen.
This is a dish that tells stories of tradition and a love of food. The salt cod, soaked with care for over 24 hours, is joined by cream, garlic, peppercorns, shallots, bay and thyme in a symphony of flavours that slowly simmers down to perfection.
The fish is then combined with boiled potatoes, the cream mixture and olive oil to make a fine mash, seasoned with freshly ground pepper. A generous layer of parmesan goes on top, and the dish goes into the oven until it is golden and inviting.
Served with toasted bread, this dish is a feast for the eye as well as the palate. Perfect for a cosy evening where the food is at the heart of the gathering. It is best served as an appetiser, snack or starter.
Let us bring a little of France home to you with this recipe for brandade with salt cod.
Brandade with salt cod
Ingredients
The fish
- 400 g salt cod
- 250 ml whipping cream (38% fat), or whole milk*
- 2 shallots, peeled and cut into wedges
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 8 peppercorns
For the brandade
- 550 g baking potatoes, peeled and diced
- 200 ml cream – the cream the cod was poached in
- 1 lemon, juice and finely grated zest
- 50 ml olive oil
- Freshly ground pepper
- 25 g parmesan – finely grated
To serve
- Finely chopped parsley
- Toasted bread
Method
Day 1:
- Rinse the fish thoroughly to remove as much salt as possible.
- Place the fish in a bowl of cold water and leave it to soak in the fridge for at least 24 hours – changing the water 3-4 times.
Day 2:
The fish and preparing the brandade
- Boil the potatoes in a pan of unsalted water until completely tender – then drain.While the potatoes are cooking, move on to the next step.
- Lift the fish out of the water and rinse it briefly under running water. Rub off any remaining salt with your hands.
- Place the fish in the bottom of a small saucepan with the shallots, garlic, thyme, peppercorns and bay leaves, and pour over the cream.*You can use whole milk, but using cream really does take your brandade to the next level 🙂
- Bring to the boil, then leave to simmer gently for 10-12 minutes – or until the fish is tender.
- Lift out the fish, place it on a plate and leave it to cool slightly before flaking it with your fingers. Using your fingers also makes sure you remove any bones and skin.
- Meanwhile, strain the cream to remove all the aromatics and measure out 200 ml. Set the garlic aside, as it goes into the dish – discard the remaining aromatics.
- Mash the cod with a whisk or a potato masher, gradually adding a little of the cream mixture as you go – it makes it easier to mash. Continue until the cod is completely broken down into fine strands.
- Add the potatoes and garlic and mash them together with the fish – at the same time, add the rest of the cream mixture and beat it into the mash with a whisk.You can also blend it if you prefer it completely smooth – personally, I prefer it with a little texture.
- Season the mash with the finely grated lemon zest, freshly squeezed lemon juice and freshly ground pepper – salt should absolutely not be needed.
- Finally, whisk in the oil in a couple of additions. Make sure it is worked well into the mash.
- Spoon the mash into a greased ovenproof dish and top with the finely grated parmesan.
- Bake the dish in a preheated conventional oven (top and bottom heat) at 215°C for about 20-25 minutes – or until golden on top.
- Leave the dish to rest for 10 minutes before topping with finely chopped parsley and serving with toasted bread.
Nutrition
Premium
Kan man bruge frisk torsk man selv salter oghvad er så forholdet?
Hej,
Er det muligt at købe din kogebog digitalt så den er på pdf ?
Hejsa
Jeg tror den kommer som e-bog også, så snart den er lanceret 🙂
Warm wishes, Dianna