Salt cod brandade
"Brandade de morue" is a classic of French bistro cuisine, especially in the south. It is a puréed mixture of salt cod and olive oil with (or sometimes without) potatoes. Here is a simplified version.
93 K 4.1/5 (13 reviews)
1 hour 35 min.
Easy
4 people
7 IngredientsLast modified on: March 2nd 2014
400 g salt-cod
300 g 
70 g 
80 ml 
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 55 min.
Cooking: 40 min.
All in all: 1 hour 35 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 10 min.
The day before, desalt 400 g salt-cod by soaking in several changes of cold water.
On the day, cook the cod by placing in cold water and bringing this up to a gentle simmer. A good way to be sure it is properly cooked is to measure the temperature in the centre. As soon as the fish reaches 140°F (60°C), it is cooked.
Set aside.
On the day, cook the cod by placing in cold water and bringing this up to a gentle simmer. A good way to be sure it is properly cooked is to measure the temperature in the centre. As soon as the fish reaches 140°F (60°C), it is cooked.
Set aside.
Stage 2 - 25 min.
Put the potatoes straight into the cooking water from the cod and boil until soft.
Set aside.
Set aside.
Stage 4 - 2 min.
Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil into a frying pan on medium heat. When hot, add the shallot, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes without colouring.
Stage 5 - 10 min.
Break the cod into flakes, discarding the skin and bones.
Peel the potatoes and chop into small pieces.
Peel the potatoes and chop into small pieces.
Stage 6 - 2 min.
Put the cod and shallots into a food-processor bowl.
Stage 7 - 5 min.
Add the potatoes and blend (using the blender blade) while adding the olive oil in a thin stream, until the mixture becomes a thick purée.
Stage 8 - 3 min.
Add the parsley at the end.
Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C).
Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C).
Stage 9 - 5 min.
Spread the brandade purée in a gratin dish. You can comb the top with a fork to make it more attractive.
Stage 10 - 25 min.
Bake for about 30 minutes until nicely browned.
Stage 11
Your brandade is ready. You can serve it with a mixed green salad or just corn salad and a good french dressing (vinaigrette).
Stage 12
Another way of cooking/serving: as pan-fried fish cakes.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan on high heat. Arrange tart/dessert rings in the pan.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan on high heat. Arrange tart/dessert rings in the pan.
Stage 13
Fill the rings with the brandade purée, pressing the mixture down gently.
Leave the bottom to brown before removing the rings...
Leave the bottom to brown before removing the rings...
Stage 14
...then turn the cakes over to brown on the other side.
Serve one fish cake per person, with salad (for example, like the earlier version).
Serve one fish cake per person, with salad (for example, like the earlier version).
Remarks
Translator's note: cod in French is "le cabillaud" when fresh, "la morue" when dried and salted.
If many people do not realise that it is one and the same fish, they all seem to have their own favourite tips for desalting their "morue": some suggest leaving the fish all day in the toilet cistern, which should be flushed at regular intervals...
If many people do not realise that it is one and the same fish, they all seem to have their own favourite tips for desalting their "morue": some suggest leaving the fish all day in the toilet cistern, which should be flushed at regular intervals...
Keeping: A few days in the fridge, covered with plastic film.
Source: Home made.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 80 RDI=30 % | 70 RDI=7 % | 80 RDI=10 % | 1,310 RDI=70 % | 5,500 RDI: 70 % |
| Per 100 g | 9 RDI=4 % | 8 RDI=1 % | 9 RDI=1 % | 150 RDI=8 % | 650 RDI: 8 % |
| Per person | 20 RDI=8 % | 20 RDI=2 % | 20 RDI=3 % | 330 RDI=20 % | 1,380 RDI: 20 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 4 people : 5.15 €
- Per person : 1.30 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Salt-cod
Like these other recipes: Icelandic-style fish and vegetable pie, ... See them all 1
Potatoes
Like these other recipes: Winter vegetable soup, Warm Leek and Potato Salad, Crème de foie gras, Valay salad, Smoky sausage and mash, ... See them all 81
Olive oil
Like these other recipes: Roasted vegetables with thyme and green sauce, Hearty leek and sprout soup, Spicy carrots and turnips roasted with Parmesan cheese, Greek style sandwiches, "Land and sea" kebabs, ... See them all 519
Shallot
Like these other recipes: Pâté de campagne, Creamy risotto with vegetables , "Oeufs rabattus" with leeks, Normandy seafood stew, Surprise eggs, ... See them all 197
Other recipes you may also like
Fresh mint ice-cream
This well-flavoured ice-cream is excellent on its own, or in profiteroles with a chocolate sauce for example.February 21th 2011532 K4.6 1 hour 35 min.
Finger biscuits
These small biscuits, that look a bit like savoy biscuits, are delicious alone or with Champagne, but are also the base for charlottes or Tiramisu.July 30th 2021343 K5 50 min.
Bouquet garni
Used very frequently in French cuisine, a secret of French chefs, it adds flavour to a lot of recipes, and it's easy to prepare. The basic principle is to make a small bundle of herbs, bind them in green leek leaves and to tie it up, so that the whole thing can be removed and discarded easily after...March 21th 2017418 K3.5 15 min.
How to succeed in making sabayon (syllabub)
A sabayon is a delicious and delicate preparation based on egg yolks and sugar, with a liquid added (wine, alcohol, fruit juice, etc), which is then whipped in a bain-marie until it is both light and smooth. Usually sabayon is sweet (syllabub), but you can make it savoury, in which case there is...November 12th 2017938 K 54 20 min.
Coconut paste
Similar to marzipan or walnut paste, coconut paste can be used in a variety of cake or sweet recipes, but you can enjoy munching it just as it is.October 13th 2010294 K 14.2 15 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-05-18)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.