Brandade de Morue
Region: France, Languedoc
Category: Antipasto, Meze, Tapas, and Hors d'Oeuvres
Season: Any
Difficulty: Labor Intensive
This preparation composed of beaten salt cod became popular in the United States during the 1990s as restaurant chefs and food writers began to explore Provence, discovering all kinds of culinary gems. Unfortunately, it is rarely made properly. Its birthplace is Nīmes, in Languedoc, so we cant say that it is strictly a Provenēal dish, although it is known in Provence and many consider Nīmes to be in Provence. I learned how to make it in two places, Venice, where it is called baccalą mantecato, or whipped salt cod, and where it is as popular as it is in Languedoc and Provence. It is also known in Corsica and Catalonia. I also learned an even better way of making it from Chef Michel Kayser of the Michelin-starred Restaurant Alexander, just outside of Nīmes. Properly made, the salt cod is whipped and beaten until emulsified with the olive oil and other ingredients. But that is a bit difficult to do, although a food processor makes the task much easier than it used to be with only the mortar and pestle. It is important that the soaked cod be thoroughly drained before beating.
Leftover brandade has many wonderful uses. You can use it as a stuffing for a feuilleté de brandade Nīmoise, a vol-au-vent stuffed with brandade and a very small piece of anchovy as I had it once at the Grill Room in Nīmes. Or you could make a croquette with some béchamel sauce and bread them, or spread it on a canapé, or stuff it into a crźpe with some Gruyčre cheese on top and bake it au gratin. If you have a half pound of brandade left, you can make a soufflé de brandade, by mixing the brandade with 3/4 cup hot milk, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon butter, 3 egg yolks, 4 stiffly beaten egg whites, and a pinch of salt.
Yield: Makes 6 cups
Preparation Time: 3 days in all
1 pound boneless salt cod, soaked in cold water to cover for 3 days, changing the water twice a day
About 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil or sunflower seed oil
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon very finely chopped parsley leaves
Toast points for serving
1. Place the salt cod in a medium-size saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to just below a boil slowly over medium heat, never letting the water come to a boil, then turn off the heat and leave for 20 minutes. Drain very well. This is very important. Pat dry with paper towels.
2. Once the salt cod is very dry, place the salt cod in a food processor. Mix together the olive oil and milk. With the machine running, slowly pour in the milk and olive oil through the feed tube. Stop every once in a while and look at the consistency of the salt cod. It should not be stringy; if it is, continue processing. When finished, it should look like whipped cream and be a light, fluffy white foam. If there are any solid pieces of salt cod, continue processing.
3. Put the salt and garlic in a mortar and pound together with a pestle until the garlic is completely mashed. Stir the garlic into the salt cod and process a bit. Once the mixture is velvety, season with black pepper, and stir in the parsley. Arrange the brandade on a shallow plate and serve with the toast points.
Posted: 03/14/2008
