Traditional Portuguese salt cod brandade
Ingredients
Cooking the cod
- 250 g (9 oz.) cod fillet, salted and dried
- 250 ml (1 cup) milk
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2.5 ml (½ tsp.) black pepper
Mashed potatoes
- 225 g (0.5 lb.) potatoes
- 60 ml (¼ cup) 35% cream
- 125 ml (½ cup) curly parsley
- 45 ml (3 tbsp.) olive oil
- 125 ml (½ cup) grated cheese (optional)
Preparation
Cooking the cod
- The day before you make the recipe, desalt the cod by soaking it in cold water in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
- Peel the garlic. Bring the milk to a boil with the garlic, thyme, pepper and bay leaf.
- Cook the desalted cod for about twenty minutes in the boiling milk, drain and allow to cool.
Mashed potatoes
- Peel the potatoes, quarter them and begin cooking in cold water over high heat.
- Wash and mince the parsley, then set aside
- Drain the cooked potatoes and mash them with a potato masher. .
- Add the cream and olive oil and mix together.
- Add the cod and mix well.
- Add the minced parsley and mix gently.
- Place the cod brandade in small ramekins and brown in the oven under the broiler.
- If desired, add grated cheese before broiling. Serve the cod brandade with a salad.
