Name: Salt cod brandade
Prep time: 55 min
Cook time: 37 min
Total time: 1 h 32 min
Yield: 4 people
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 400 g salt-cod; 300 g potatoes; 70 g shallot; 80 ml olive oil; Parsley; Salt; Pepper

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.

Stage 2 - ⌛ 25 min.

Put the potatoes straight into the cooking water from the cod and boil until soft.

Set aside.

Stage 3 - ⌛ 5 min.

Prepare and chop 70 g shallot.

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.

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).

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.

Stage 13

Fill the rings with the brandade purée, pressing the mixture down gently.

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).

Nutritional information

	Proteins	Carbohydrates	Fats	Calories	Energy
Per 100 g	9 g RDI=14 %	8 g RDI=3 %	9 g RDI=13 %	154 kcal RDI=8 %	647 kJ RDI=8 %
Per person	19 g RDI=30 %	17 g RDI=7 %	20 g RDI=28 %	328 kcal RDI=16 %	1,375 kJ RDI=16 %
Whole recipe	78 g RDI=121 %	68 g RDI=26 %	80 g RDI=110 %	1,314 kcal RDI=66 %	5,502 kJ RDI=66 %