Brandade de Morue is originally a specialty from the city of Nîmes, in Occitanie, but it’s much beloved all throughout France. In fact, I recall eating lots of it in Normandy, often served with a generous dose of crème fraîche sauce—so dear to Normandy cooks.
Its name comes from the word brandar, which means “stirring” in the Provençal dialect. And stirring—or more precisely, whipping—is exactly what you’re in for here. Completely by hand as per tradition, the salt cod is emulsified with oil before getting folded into a potato mash. Brandade is traditionally smooth and creamy; although I personally like to keep some cod flakes visible for a chunkier texture.
I’ll let you decide how you prefer it. Either way, it just begs to be enjoyed with crusty bread and a squeeze of lemon.
SERVES 6
1¾ lb (800 g) salt cod (see note)
1 bay leaf
5 whole black peppercorns
1 sprig of dried thyme
2–3 large starchy potatoes (i.e., russet), peeled and cubed
4 cloves garlic, peeled, halved and desprouted
½ tsp salt
1 cup (250 ml) milk (2% or whole)
1 tbsp (15 ml) crème fraîche
6–7 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley, stemmed and finely chopped
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper, divided
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp (30 g) salted or unsalted butter, divided
Crusty bread and lemon wedges, for serving
The day before cooking, rinse the salt cod. Soak it in cold water for 24 hours in the fridge, changing the water twice.
The day of, drain the cod. Transfer it to a large pot of boiling water with the bay leaf, peppercorns and thyme. Poach for 10 minutes. Remove the cod and allow it to cool. Keep the pot full of water, and discard the bay leaf, peppercorns and thyme.
In the meantime, place the potatoes with the garlic cloves into the same pot of boiling water. Add the salt and cook until fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and garlic, and mash with the milk, crème fraîche, parsley and ½ teaspoon of ground pepper.
Preheat your oven to 390°F (200°C, or gas mark 6).
Break the cod flesh into coarse shreds, and remove any bones. Keep the skin, which serves as a binder. Whip the cod with the olive oil until creamy—or leave some cod flakes still visible if you prefer a chunkier texture.
Fold the cod emulsion into the potato mash. Spread the brandade into a baking dish greased with 1 tablespoon (15 g) of butter and swirl the top with a fork. Break the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 g) of butter into tiny pieces and dot the brandade evenly, lodging pieces in the crevices. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ teaspoon of ground pepper.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden. Serve hot or cold, with crusty bread and lemon wedges.
NOTE: The salt cod must be soaked for 24 hours prior to making this dish.