Easy Brandade de Morue or Codfish au Gratin recipe
Brandade de morue or Codfish au Gratin, cod cooked in a silky bechamel sauce, topped with cheese, and baked until golden brown. A tasty and delightful dish to serve with a salad.
The first time I saw Jacques Pepin make Brandade de Morue au Gratin or Codfish au Gratin, I was excited and could not wait to try the recipe. After reviewing the recipe, I noticed that there were barely any spices. I know salted codfish or morue or bacalao does not require lots of spices, but when mixed with potatoes, for example, a mixture of fresh spices is necessary.
What is salted codfish?
Simply put, salted cod is dried, and the same for salted codfish. The fish has been preserved by drying after salting. Salted cod is cooked in many ways and widely consumed in the Caribbean. It can be prepared with ackee, a Jamaican dish, in Haiti’s tomato-based and spicy sauce. It is added to stews and cooked with rice and other grains. One of the best ways it is enjoyed by Haitians is as a filling in patties.
About the original recipe
The original Brandade de Morue or Codfish au Gratin recipe is very simple, but I found it missing something. The best way to cook salted codfish is with fresh herbs. The fresh herbs add flavor and do not make the fish salty again. The best way to enjoy this fish is by using a dealing method.
The ingredients needed for the Brandade de Morue recipe
- Fresh Garlic Cloves
- Shallots
- Noubess Fish & Seafood Seasoning
- Ground thyme
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Noubess Original Hot and Spicy Condiment
- Olive oil
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt codfish and then de-salted
- Red Bliss potatoes
- Lemon rind
- Lemon juice
- Milk heated until hot
- Kosher Salt, optional
How to desalt Codfish
Desalting codfish requires time. It may take up to 24 hours to desalt codfish fillets properly.
There are a couple of methods on how to desalt codfish. Follow the instructions here.
Notes and Useful tips to make the recipe:
- Sometimes it is necessary to add spices to salted fish even if they already have flavor. A few or a couple of fresh herbs.
- Shallots are better in this recipe than onions.
- Do not forget that it is best to use salt-free seasoning.
- Desalt the codfish properly.
This is a great appetizer for guests at a gathering or as a side dish.
Original Recipe is by Jacques Pépin. http://blogs.kqed.org/essentialpepin/2011/09/19/brandade-de-morue-au-gratin/#sthash.SFuJRG4p.dpuf
if you are interested in making it his way. My recipe has more spices, just the Caribbean way.
Brandade de Morue
Ingredients
- 8 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 medium shallots minced
- 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon Noubess Fish & Seafood Seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon Noubess Original Hot and Spicy Condiment
- 3/4 cups olive oil
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 pound salt cod de-salted
- 2 large Red Bliss potatoes about 1 pound
- 1 teaspoon lemon rind
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 1/2 cup milk heated until hot
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher Salt optional
Instructions
- Thoroughly rinse the cod fillet under cold running water and put it in a large bowl containing about 5 quarts cold water. Let soak for at least 4 hours, changing the water every 2 hours.
- Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a saucepan, cover them with cold water, and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and boil the potatoes gently for about 30 minutes, until tender. Drain and set aside.
- Drain the cod. Put it in a saucepan with 8 cups cold water, bring just to a gentle boil, and drain immediately. Rinse out the pan and add the cod and 4 cups cold water. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes then drain. Set the cod aside to cool on a non-heated plate or surface. When the cod is cool enough to handle, remove any skin and bones with your fingers, breaking the flesh into pieces. Return the cod to the pan, add the milk and garlic, and bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook gently for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease a baking dish. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 2-inch pieces. Put the cod, with the milk, and the garlic, in a food processor. Add the lemon zest and potatoes and process for about 1 minute, until smooth. Add the lemon juice, black pepper, shallot and Noubess hot sauce and seasoning and process briefly to incorporate. With the motor running, slowly add the oil and continue processing until the mixture is very smooth. Transfer the brandade to the baking dish, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle the brandade with the grated cheese and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and it is hot throughout. (If the brandade has been refrigerated, increase the baking time by about 10 minutes.) Serve the brandade with bread as an appetizer or as a side dish.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into 2-inch pieces. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the cod, with the milk, and the garlic, in a food processor. Add the lemon zest and potatoes and process for about 1 minute, until smooth. Add the lemon juice, black pepper, and cayenne pepper and process briefly to incorporate. With the motor running, slowly add the oil and continue processing until the mixture is very smooth. Lightly oil an 8-cup gratin dish and transfer the brandade to the dish, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle the brandade with the grated cheese and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and it is hot throughout. (If the brandade has been refrigerated, increase the baking time by about 10 minutes.) Serve the brandade with bread as an appetizer or as a side dish. Note: Brandade de Morue recipe, updated from Chef Jacques Pepin – Essential Pepin. You can also use Russet or Idaho Potatoes.
Notes
Nutrition
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Nutrition info is automatically generated and provided as a courtesy and as an estimate only.
