Fish

Brandade – A French Version of Fish Pie

Preparation time: 20 min

Cooking time: 25 min

Will serve 4 people

Ingredients:

650 g of salted cod
1 ltr of milk
2 bay leaves
4 pepper corns
500 g of potatoes
6 medium cloves of garlic finely chopped
50 ml of olive oil
80 ml of cream
The juice of 1 lemon
Lots of black pepper
NO SALT !
3 tbsp of finely chopped parsley

Soak the salt cod for 24 hours in several changes of water.
Bring the milk to the boil, reduce heat and infuse it with the bay leaves and pepper corns for 10 minutes.
Trick! Leave a wooden spoon in the pan at all time to prevent the milk going over.
Preheat the oven to 200/ Gas 6.
Drain the cod and put it into the infused milk. Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until barely tender.
Drain again and cool slightly. Flake the flesh with a fork, discarding any skin or bones.
Scald the cream.
Peel and cut in small squares the potatoes; cook them until tender.
Mash – add some cream to ease the process. Make sure there isn’t any lump!
In a food processor blend the cod, add the rest of the cream, the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and pepper until you have obtained a smooth mixture.
In a large bowl, blend by hand the mash and the brandade together.
Take 4 individual porcelain oven dishes; brush them with some olive oil .
Put the brandade in and level it.
Warm up each dish for 20 minutes in the preheated oven.
When ready sprinkle some fresh parley.
Serve with a green salad and some roasted tomatoes.