Salt Cod Brandade
Salting fish was a process that began some 500+ years ago to preserve the cod, that was caught off the coast of Newfoundland in Canada. Salt is still used (although not as extensively) as a preservative for cod, the fish is essentially dried and dehydrated. The longest part of this recipe is soaking the salt-cod to fully remove the salt.
Ingredients
- 400 gr (14 oz) Salted cod
- 400 gr (14 oz) ‘Old’ Potatoes they should flake easily when cooked
- 40 cl (13 oz) heavy cream (35%)
- 40 cl (13 oz) milk
- 15 cl (5 oz) olive oil
- 5 Garlic Cloves crushed
- 5 bay leaves
- 100 gr (4 oz) Dried Breadcrumbs for the topping
- Dried hot pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preparation: 24H before cooking rinse the salt off your cod and cover it water in a dish.
- Change the water 5 times throughout the next 24H, that’s the usual time for most of the salt to be taken out.
- Peel and rinse your potatoes, cut them in half and boil them with the milk, the cream, the peeled garlic and the bay leaves.
- Once cooked take your potatoes out and let them cool down.
- Filter the milk/cream and keep it.
- Meanwhile cook the cod into a pan filled with cold water. Note the cooking time is short.
- Usually when water starts boiling the fish is cooked.
- Remove the cod out and that check the meat falls apart easily. Never leave the fish into boiling water, it hardens it.
- Separate the fish meat into small filaments removing all the bones.
- Then pour the olive oil little by little while stirring the fish meat.
- Once it is done add the potatoes and about half of the milk/cream.
- Add a little hot pepper and mix it all with a fork until it becomes smooth and homogeneous.
- Taste to check if seasoning suits you. Spread the breadcrumbs on top and grill it shortly just before serving with a green salad.
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