Brandade De Morue Salt Cod And Potato PurÉe Recipes

Steps:

• Rinse salt cod well and rub off any salt. Soak in 2 quarts cold water. Drain and change water every few hours (an overnight soak without changing is fine). Total soaking time should be at least 8 hours.
• In a medium saucepan, heat milk plus 1 cup water over medium-high heat. Add soaked salt cod, thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns, allspice berries and clove. Adjust heat to maintain a bare simmer. Cook until fish flakes easily, about 15 minutes. Remove fish and hold at room temperature.
• Meanwhile, in another pot, cover potatoes with water and bring to a boil. Add garlic cloves and a good pinch of salt. Drain potatoes when they are soft, about 15 minutes, reserving cooking liquid and garlic.
• Put cooked garlic cloves in a small saucepan and crush with a fork. Add olive oil and heat over a medium flame until quite warm to the touch. Set aside.
• Put potatoes in a large mixing bowl. With your fingers, flake cooked salt cod on top. With a potato masher, roughly blend potatoes and fish. Drizzle in warm garlic oil and mash again. Add cayenne, nutmeg to taste and lemon zest. Stir in ½ cup crème fraîche and beat well to combine. Beat in about ½ cup cooking liquid to lighten mixture so it has the texture of soft mashed potatoes. Taste and adjust seasoning - it will probably need salt and pepper.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Use 1 tablespoon butter to grease a low-sided 1-quart baking dish or pie pan. Transfer brandade mixture to dish and smooth with a spatula. Paint the top with 2 tablespoons crème fraîche, and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Dot top with remaining butter. (May be prepared up to a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator; bring to room temperature before baking.) Bake until golden and bubbling, about 20 minutes.

Steps:

• One day ahead, soak the salt cod overnight in cold water to cover, changing the water several times. Drain and rinse thoroughly.
• On the day of serving, boil the potatoes until they are tender. Poach the salt cod in fresh cold water to cover for 15 minutes. Drain, rinse and remove any pieces of skin or bone.
• Combine the potatoes, salt cod and garlic in a food processor. Puree until smooth. Gently heat the olive oil in a small pan. With the machine running, slowly add the hot oil through the funnel, then the hot milk. Season to taste with white pepper. Place the puree in a gratin dish.
• Just before serving, put the puree under a preheated broiler and brown lightly. Serve with fried bread triangles.

Steps:

• Place the salt cod in one layer in a skillet or saucepan with water to cover; bring the water to a boil, turn off the heat, and let cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and pick out any stray bones or pieces of skin.
• Place the cod in a food processor with the garlic and a couple tablespoons of the olive oil. Start processing and, through the feed tube, add small amounts of olive oil alternating with small amounts of cream. Continue until the mixture becomes smooth, creamy, and light. (You may not need all of the oil and cream.) Add pepper, some of the lemon juice, and the nutmeg. Blend and taste; the mixture may need a bit of salt and more lemon juice. (You can prepare the dish several hours or even a day ahead to this point; cover and refrigerate until you're ready to eat.)
• Reheat the brandade if necessary, in a double boiler or in a 300°F oven, covered. Serve with bread, toast, or crackers.

Steps:

• 1. At least 12 hours before cooking, soak the salt cod in water and refrigerate, changing the water 3 or more times. It should taste a bit saltier than a well-seasoned cooked fish. 2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Bake the potato until tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Immediately halve the potato, scoop out the flesh and, using a ricer, rice it over a sheet pan, spreading it out to release the steam. (If you don't rice the potato immediately, it will turn gummy. Alternatively, you can mash the potato, but the texture is finer when riced.) Once they are cool, transfer the potatoes to a large bowl. 3. Meanwhile, drain and rinse the salt cod. Place in a medium pot and cover with cold salted water. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the fish starts to flake, about 10 minutes. Let cool in the liquid. 4. In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil over moderate heat. When hot, add the garlic and shallots and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the cream, bring to a boil and simmer for about 7 minutes to reduce slightly. 5. Drain the cod and pat dry with paper towels. Remove the skin and bones. Using a food processor, pulse it a few times to break into coarse pieces. With the machine running, add the garlic-cream mixture in a steady stream. Transfer the cod and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to the bowl of potatoes and mix. Taste and season with salt, pepper and more lemon juice. Serve warm or at room temperature with bread slices. If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Adapted from ''In the Hands of a Chef.'' by Jody Adams.

Steps:

• Make the brandade de morue:
• In a ceramic or glass bowl let the salt cod soak in cold water to cover, changing the water several times, for 24 hours and drain it. In a kettle poach the cod in simmering water to cover for 25 minutes, or until it flakes easily when tested with a fork, drain it in a colander, and refresh it under cold water. Pat the cod dry and break it into pieces. In a skillet cook the onion in 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until it is soft and let it cool. In a food processor puree the onion mixture, the garlic and the cod until the mixture is smooth, with the motor running add the remaining 1/3 cup oil in a stream, 1/2 cup of the cream, the lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste, and puree the mixture until it is smooth. The brandade de morue may be made 2 days in advance and kept covered and chilled. If desired, thin the brandade with the remaining 2 tablespoons cream.
• On oiled baking sheets arrange the potatoes, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices, without touching, drizzle them with the oil, and roast them in a preheated 400°F. oven, turning them once, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until they are tender, slightly crisp around the edges, and pale golden. Transfer the potatoes to paper towels to drain. Arrange the potato slices on a platter, top each slice with a dollop of the brandade, and top the brandade with the roasted red pepper.
• To roast peppers
• Using a long-handled fork char the peppers over an open flame, turning them, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the skins are blackened. (Or broil the peppers on the rack of a broiler pan under a preheated broiler about 2 inches from the heat, turning them every 5 minutes, for 15 to 25 minutes, or until the skins are blistered and charred.) Transfer the peppers to a a bowl and let them steam, covered, until they are cool enough to handle. Keeping the peppers whole, peel them starting at the blossom end, cut off the tops, and discard the seeds and ribs. (Wear rubber gloves when handling chilies.)