Brandade

[zoramargolis]

well I'm thinking about making some brandade, so any suggestions on if there is a type of salt cod to use would be great.

A&H carries skinless boneless filets (the most expensive, natch), pieces (the cheapest) and skin-on bone-in which is more properly called "stockfish." The fishmonger suggested I buy pieces to make brandade, since it gets pureed. I was a bit concerned that the pieces would be stronger and saltier than the filets, just a gut feeling, so I sprang for the extra money and got a filet. When we were recently in Spain, we had a couple of different tapas that featured flaked salt cod, which was made with boneless filets.

The brandade I made with the filet came out great. The filet soaked for 24 hours, with three changes of water.

With the leftover brandade, I made croquetas de bacalao, by rolling the brandade into rounded patties and dipping them in egg and panko crumbs and pan-frying. Served with a dipping sauce of mayo flavored with pimenton, parsley, thyme and shallots. We liked those even better than the brandade.

[Waitman]

The Languedoc claims brandade as a local specialty and on a Iong trip there a few years back, I was pleased to find it on a number of menus. I personally don't care to have my cod cut with potato, as some recipes call for, but was most impressed by a restaurant that served an aesthetically appealing shoe polish can-sized round of cod with thin slices of boiled potato on top, and a sun-dried tomato garnish. Quite tasty.

Usually when I make the stuff I reduce the cream by a third or so, so I can get an appropriate bit of fat with a minimum amount to liquid.

[Poivrot Farci]

The definitive Brandade de Morue (Le Cuisiner Durand, 1830) does not and has never contained potatoes. It is attributed to a certain Monsieur Charles Durand (born 1766), personal chef to the Archduke of Alès (44km northwest of Nîmes). Brandade de Nîmes has lemon juice, frayed denim and a particular tuber from neighboring Vaucluse, Lot or Dordogne. A later adulteration: Brandade de Morue à la Mènagère (A. Escoffier. La Morue, 1929) contains potato, presumably in an effort to stretch the commodity during Lenten or lean times. Brandade de Marseille appropriately contains garlic. All are milk and olive oil based, essentially an emulsion made from gradually beating the elements incrementally with a wooden spoon (brander, branler Fr. v. tr). Some suggest leaving in the cooked skin as a thickening agent.

Though the potato was introduced in France in the mid 16th century, it did not officially enter the French food chain until January 13, 1794 as a result of insufficient wheat harvests upon which a potato law of sorts was mandated:

"Constituted authorities are held to employ all the means that are in their power in the towns where the culture of the potato has not yet been established, to engage all the farmers who compost to plant, each according to its faculties, a portion of their land to potatoes."

Brandade's post 1830 Parisian popularity is attributed to Nîmois author Alphonse Daudetwho started the circle-jerk "diners des amis de la brandade".

[DonRocks]

The definitive Brandade de Morue (Le Cuisiner Durand, 1830) does not and has never contained potatoes. It is attributed to a certain Monsieur Durand (born 1766), personal chef to the Archduke of Alès (44km northwest of Nîmes). Brandade de Nîmes has lemon juice, frayed denim and a particular tuber from neighboring Vaucluse, Lot or Dordogne. A later adulteration: Brandade de Morue à la Mènagère (A. Escoffier. La Morue, 1929) contains potato, presumably in an effort to stretch the commodity during Lenten or lean times. Brandade de Marseille appropriately contains garlic. All are milk and olive oil based, essentially an emulsion made from gradually beating the elements incrementally with a wooden spoon (brander Fr. v. tr). Some suggest leaving in the cooked skin as a thickening agent.

Though the potato was introduced in France in the mid 16th century, it did not officially enter the French food chain until January 13, 1794 as a result of insufficient wheat harvests upon which a potato law of sorts was mandated:

Do you ever have sex?

[Poivrot Farci]

Do you ever have sex?

Not after reading your forum.

[DonRocks]

Not after reading your forum.

Brandade de More! Ooh!

[Poivrot Farci]

Brandade de More! Ooh!

Branler sans arrêt : (

[Tweaked]

I'm going to follow the brandade recipe out of the Balthazar cookbook...calls for potato as well as garlic and cream. Regardless of its authenticity, it reads tasty!

[Waitman]

I'm going to follow the brandade recipe out of the Balthazar cookbook...calls for potato as well as garlic and cream. Regardless of its authenticity, it reads tasty!

I actually ate the brandade at Balthazaar one happy night and thought it a bit sweet and a little bland. Unless, apropos of Monsieur Farci's lesson in culinary history, you are consuming it before this Sunday, I'd respectfully suggest that potato-free eats tastier.