Brandade. The Olivier Martinez of Salted Cod.
Leave it to the French to make puréed fish so irresistible. This baby makes us check our morals at the door.
Maybe it’s the pheromone-driven excitement of spirit of spring or the ever-skimpier dress code that warm weather brings, but we’re feeling frisky. We challenged ourselves to find a dish we desperately wanted to love, even if only for a night. Our pick: salted cod brandade because 1) the sight and smell induce an almost-immediate salivary reaction (not unlike the drool-worthy Olivier); 2) you spot someone else enjoying it and suddenly you need to have it, too; and 3) in the true spirit of things we lust, the reality rarely lives up to the fantasy.
Make this dish even hotter by having Olivier serve it to you himself. Don't forget to ask him to shave some truffles on top.
We wanted to break that myth — we want salted cod to nail the taste and experience we expect. Our process was simple: 1) Master a simple salt cod recipe. Check; 2) Find a typical brandade and dial up the taste. Yup; and finally 3) Discover a few off-radar recipes to showcase our new find. Done.
Step 1: Start with a basic salted cod recipe.
House-Made Salted Cod
- 1 pound fresh, not frozen, salt cod. Try to get thicker fillet pieces.
- Kosher salt
- Rub fillets with kosher salt, almost encrusting the pieces.
- Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and place on a rack inside a wide dish.
- Place in the refrigerator. Let sit for 12 hours.
- Turn the fish over once. Rest another 12 hours. At this point, the fish should be firm and will have lost about a third of its weight. If it’s not firm and dry, let it chill another day, turning again after 12 hours.
- Unwrap cod, rinse and pat dry. Re-wrap and store in the refrigerator. You’re done!
Step 2: Whip your salted cod into a creamy brandade and serve with crunchy crostini.
Our only slightly high maintenance go-to is Alice Waters’ recipe from Chez Panisse, her Brandade with Fresh Salted Cod served with shaved truffles or a splash of herb-infused olive oil to add depth and flavor.
Quick Crostini
Heat the oven to 400-degrees. Slice a baguette into 1/4-inch thick wedges, cutting on a bias. Place the sliced bread on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of Kosher salt. Bake for 10 minutes on each side.
Step 3: Once you’ve mastered the brandade, move on to more challenging recipes like one of our favorites.
- Big Island Salt Cod Croquettes from James Beard Foundation Award winner George Mavrothalassitis.
- A coconut milk-infused fish stew from Neide Rigo, a Brazilian food blogger.
- This Caribbean inspiration from a Dean & Deluca fan.
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