Brandade de morue (potato and cod appetizer)

1 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 pounds Dried salt cod; cut in large pieces
2 cups Milk
2 Heads garlic; halved crosswise
2 Boquet garni*
1 pounds Potatoes - Yukon Gold; peeled and quartered
½ cup Olive oil
½ cup Heavy cream; warm +2 Tbs.
Garlic Confit; for garnish
Toasted Croutons
1 Head garlic; peeled and sectioned
½ cup Olive oil

Directions

GARLIC CONFIT

1. In large bowl, soak cod covered with water for at least 24 hours, changing water every 2 to 3 hours.

2. To make the bouquet garni, bunch bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme together and tie with kitchen string. In a medium saucepan, place cod with a head of garlic, bouquet garni, milk, and 1 cup water. Over low heat, bring to simmer. Cook until fish is flaky, about 10 minutes. Discard garlic and bouquet garni.

3. Place potatoes in medium saucepan, and cover with salted water. Cook potatoes at a simmer until fork tender, 15 to 20 minutes, and drain.

4. In small saucepan, place oil with remaining garlic and bouquet garni.

Over low heat, warm the oil, about 10 minutes. Discard garlic and bouquet garni.

5. Put potatoes through a food mill while still warm. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine potatoes and cod on low speed, until just incorporated. Slowly add the infused oil, then add 1 cup cream. Do not overmix or potatoes will become gluey.

6. Garnish brandade with remaining 2 tablespoons warm cream and garlic confit. Serve with toasted croutons.

GARLIC CONFIT Makes about ½ cup Place garlic in a small saucepan over low heat, and cook slowly until soft and golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes.

NOTES: Brandade de morue is a renowned Provencal dish of pounded salt cod, pur‚ed potatoes, olive oil, garlic, milk, and cream. The dish's name is derived from the French Provencal verb brandar, meaning to stir, and morue, French for cod. There are as many versions of brandade de morue as there are chefs--some must have garlic while others might shy from the potatoes.

Balthazar's chef Riad Nasr shares his recipe for this delicious dish.

Salt cod is dried cod fish cured in salt. Frozen before processing, the fish is left whole--complete with skin and bones, which contributes to its intense flavor. Because of the large amount of salt used in the preserving process, salt cod must be soaked for hours, with many changes of water, to remove the salt and rehydrate the fish before cooking. The best-quality dried salt cod should appear ivory, almost yellow-colored, with green flecks. It should be pliable and not board-stiff. Once rehydrated, salt cod's appearance will resemble that of fresh fish.

Recipe by: Martha Stewart (Balthazar's chef Riad Nasr) Posted to recipelu-digest by "Valerie Whittle" <catspaw@...> on Feb 24, 1998

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