This brandada de bacalao is a great summer sandwich spread! It contains boiled potatoes, cooked salt cod, lemon juice, garlic and rosemary. And that sounds just like music to my ears! All in all a fresh and hearty savory summer treat.
This brandada de bacalao is a great summer sandwich spread if you ask me!
Have you ever heard of this brandada before?
Salt Cod
It’s alright if you haven’t. But you probably must have heard of salt cod before, right?
I love to cook with salt cod. But this brandada is the first time that I turn it into a dip. Because I usually serve salt cod as a main course. A lovely chunk of cod with pepper and onion for instance, another Spanish classic by the name of bacalao encebollado.
I love to serve it cold. So what’s in it actually? There’s boiled potatoes, cooked salt cod, lemon juice, garlic and rosemary.
Fresh and hearty!
Brandada de Bacalao
This brandada is also a popular French dip.
They call it brandade or brandade de morue in France.
Morue means salt cod in French.
And it is served hot as well, with cheese! Here’s how to make a French brandade.
Scoop the salt cod and potato mash in a shallow baking dish and sprinkle it with a little grated cheese. Then put in a hot over for about 20 minutes until the top crust looks nice and golden.
Brandade de Morue
The French usually serve this brandade with a couple of slices of grilled bread or soldiers on the side to dip into the warm cheesy fish paste. Absolutely delicious, I can guarantee you that.
Well that sounds like a great winter version!
Do you love fish dips?
Then also check out my canned salmon dip with tomatoes!
And how about my cute little cucumber canapés with smoked mackerel rillettes?
Enjoy!
Brandada de Bacalao Recipe
- 4 oz floury potatoes (110 g), peeled
- 4,5 oz salt cod (125 g), soaked
- 1/2 cup whole milk (120 ml)
- 2 large slices lemon zest
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- pepper
- salt
- Peel the garlic clove and chop it up into tiny bits. Add it together with the fresh rosemary sprig to a medium saucepan.
- Chop the potatoes up into smaller chunks and add them to the garlic and rosemary together with the lemon zest.
- Then pour in the whole milk.
- Stir and season with a little pinch of pepper and salt. Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring the milk and potatoes to a boil. Once boiling turn the heat lower and put a lid on the pan. Cook the potatoes until tender and falling apart.
- Then chop up the soaked salt cod and add it to the potatoes.
- Stir and put the lid back on the pan. Cook the salt cod and potatoes for another 10 minutes until cooked and tender. Then take the pan off the heat, remove the rosemary and lemon zest and start mashing up the cod and potatoes with a fork until very creamy.
Then place the cod and potato mash back over medium heat and keep stirring it until it kind of dries out a little. You should end up with a firm fish paste. Check the seasoning and add extra pepper to taste if necessary. Scoop the brandada in a clean bowl and serve it lukewarm or cold as a dip or sandwich spread.
