I use a couple of recipes for this great dish; this one based on Anne Willan’s recipe, from La Varenne Cooking School in Paris and Burgundy, is made without the potato, although other recipes of hers do add potatoes; and the other recipe in my collection is based on Jacques Pepin’s, with potato and gratinéed. Both include a few of my additions along the way.
Serves 10
| Ingredients | |
| 500g skinless boneless salt cod
175ml – 250ml whole milk 180ml extra-virgin olive oil 4 large cloves garlic green germ removed, some regard garlic as optional ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice |
Freshly ground black pepper
8 to 10 small slices bread toasted and rubbed with 1 clove garlic ¼ cup oil Garnish Piment d’Espelette or hot paprika, Serve with a bowl of black olives and the toasts |
Soak the cod in plenty of cold water, changing the water several times, for 1 to 2 days.
Drain the cod well. Place it in a deep frying pan, such as a sauteuse, add cold water to cover; heat gently and bring to just below the simmer, at about 70°C, and cook for about 10 minutes, until the cod flakes easily.
Drain the cod. When cool enough to handle, break into flakes, discarding any skin or bones.
Scald the milk in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. At the same time, heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, until hot but not smoking.
Place the flaked salt cod and the garlic in the bowl of a food processor. With the machine running, add the hot oil in a thin stream. Pulse on and off, so the cod isn’t over-beaten and sticky. When the oil is incorporated and the mixture is quite smooth, slowly add the milk in a thin stream, pulsing on and off to avoid over mixing. I use between 175ml and 250ml according to the texture I am want. It should be light, white, and fluffy, like pudding, not too runny.
Add the nutmeg and the lemon juice; pulse 1 to 2 times. Season with the pepper.
Spoon the brandade into a shallow serving bowl, smooth out the top with the back of your spoon forming concentric circles and drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with Piment d’Espelette or hot paprika.
Cut the toast into triangles.
To serve, arrange the toast triangles with a point up, around the base of the brandade and serve with black olives.
