Salt Cod Gratin Brandade de Morue a Recipe from Provence (2024)

Rinse salt cod and soak in 4 quarts of cold water overnight and then dry the cod.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200C).

Heat the milk in a double boiler and add thyme from 2 sprigs, bay leaf, cloves, peppercorns, allspice berries and lemons (but first zest the lemons and set aside for later).

Poach the fish gently in the milk and spice liquid for 15 minutes and set aside to cool.

In a second pot, cover potatoes with cold water and bring to a boil.

Add garlic cloves and 2 teaspoons salt.

Drain potatoes when they are soft, approx. 25 minutes.

Now, put the garlic in a small saucepan, crush it and add olive oil. Heat the garlic briefly (3 minutes) until it is infused in oil.

Put the cooked potatoes in a bowl. Flake the cooked cod on top in the same bowl. Using a potato masher, roughly blend the potatoes and the fish.

Add the warm garlic oil and mash the mixture again.

Now, add the nutmeg, cayenne pepper and the lemon zest previously set aside.

Next, add the crème fraiche and 1 cup of hot cooking liquid from boiling the potatoes and mix all the ingredients.

Taste and adjust seasoning, add salt and pepper as needed.

Use 2 tablespoons of butter to grease a 2 quart baking dish.

Add the fish-potato-spice mixture to a casserole (or single ramekins), sprinkle with breadcrumbs and put the remaining butter in small pieces on top.

Bake until golden and bubbling, about 20 minutes.

Then broil the tops for 2 minutes until golden brown.

Garnish with fresh thyme.