Brandade

Brandade de Morue (Provençal Salt Cod Purée)

A silky, garlicky emulsion of salt cod, olive oil and milk — the signature dish of Provence and Languedoc, here finished with a golden potato crust as is traditional in Nîmes.

Prep

30 min

Cook

60 min

Total

90 min

Serves

4 to 6 as a starter or light main

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) salt cod (bacalao), whole belly or loin, bone-in preferred for flavour
• •1 l (4 cups) cold water, for soaking
• •300 g (10½ oz) waxy potato, such as ratte or Yukon Gold, peeled
• •200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) whole milk
• •150 ml (⅔ cup) extra-virgin olive oil, a mild Provençal oil, not a bitter one
• •4 clove (4 cloves) garlic, lightly crushed
• •2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, plus extra to finish
• •30 g (¼ cup) fine breadcrumbs, for the crust
• •1 tbsp unsalted butter, dotting the top
• •1 pinch white pepper, traditionally used, not black
• •1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Steps

1. 1 Soak the salt cod: rinse under cold water, then place skin-side down in a large bowl. Cover with 1 litre cold water and refrigerate for 24 hours, changing the water 3 to 4 times. The fish must be desalted but still seasoned — taste a tiny flake after 24 h; it should taste of the sea, not of salt.
2. 2 Drain the cod, place in a deep pan, cover with cold water, bring to a bare simmer (do not boil — a hard boil makes the flesh tough and stringy). Poach gently for 8 to 10 minutes, skimming any foam. The cod is done when it flakes easily and reads 60 °C / 140 °F at the thickest part.
3. 3 Lift the cod out with a slotted spoon, reserving the cooking liquid. When cool enough to handle, pull off and discard skin and any bones. Flake the flesh coarsely and keep it covered with a little of the warm cooking water so it does not dry out.
4. 4 While the cod cooks, boil the peeled potatoes in salted water until completely tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and pass through a ricer or food mill while hot — do not use a blender, which makes them gluey.
5. 5 Warm the milk with the 4 crushed garlic cloves in a small saucepan over low heat for 5 minutes, just to take the raw edge off the garlic. Strain out the garlic (or leave it in if you prefer a more rustic brandade).
6. 6 Make the emulsion: this is the heart of the dish. In a wide bowl (traditionally a mortar), work the warm cod with a wooden spoon or pestle, adding the olive oil and warm milk in a thin, alternating stream — a little oil, then a little milk, then oil — exactly as you would for a mayonnaise. Work in the riced potato a little at a time. The mixture must stay warm throughout (set the bowl over a pan of hot water if needed); if it cools the emulsion will break and turn oily.
7. 7 Beat vigorously for a good 5 minutes until the brandade is pale, fluffy and holds soft peaks when you lift the spoon. Season carefully — the cod still carries some salt — with white pepper and a grating of nutmeg. Stir in the chopped parsley.
8. 8 Heat the oven to 200 °C / 400 °F (conventional) or 180 °C / 356 °F (fan). Spread the brandade in a 1.5 litre gratin dish, smoothing the top with a wet palette knife. Scatter the breadcrumbs evenly, dot with the butter, and drizzle with a thin thread of olive oil.
9. 9 Bake on the middle rack for 20 to 25 minutes, until the surface is deeply golden and crisp and the brandade is piping hot all the way through (internal temperature 75 °C / 165 °F). If the top is browning too fast, lay a sheet of foil loosely over the dish.
10. 10 Rest 5 minutes before serving. Finish with a scatter of parsley and a final thread of raw olive oil. Eat hot with toasted baguette or, in the Nîmes tradition, with green salad and a glass of chilled local white wine.