Brandamincium

Ingredients

Salt cod

• 600 gsalt cod, thick loin pieces
• cold water, for soaking
• 1bay leaf
• a few black peppercorns

Potato

• 500 gfloury potatoes
• water, to cover
• a pinch of salt

To whip

• 200 mlgood olive oil
• 150 mlmilk or cream, warm
• 4garlic cloves, crushed
• white pepper
• a squeeze of lemon juice
• grated nutmeg, optional

To serve

• toasted bread or croutons
• black olives
• a green salad

Directions

1. Salt cod is soaked, poached and whipped with potato and oil. Salt cod reached Mediterranean ports from the northern Atlantic. Salt cod is cod preserved in heavy salt and dried hard. It arrives stiff as a board and tastes far too salty to eat. Rinse the surface salt off under running cold water. Put the cod in a large bowl and cover it with cold water.
2. Cover the bowl and put it in the refrigerator. Change the water every six to eight hours. Taste a small raw flake at the end of the soaking. It should taste pleasantly seasoned and not harsh. Soak it longer if it is still too salty. Drain the soaked cod and put it in a pan. Cover it with fresh cold water. Add the bay leaf and the peppercorns.
3. Bring it slowly up to just below a simmer. Never let it boil, which makes the fish tough. Poach it for about ten minutes. The flesh should flake easily when pressed. Lift it out and let it cool a little. Flaking the cod takes some patience.
4. Pull the skin off and discard it. Flake the flesh with your fingers into a bowl. Salt cod carries more bones than people expect. Pull out every single one that you find. A bone in a smooth puree is very unwelcome.
5. Peel the potatoes and cut them into even chunks. Boil them in salted water until completely soft. Give them about twenty minutes. Drain them and let them steam dry in the colander. Mash them or pass them through a ricer. There must be no lumps left at all.
6. Warm the olive oil and the milk gently in separate pans. Warm liquids emulsify far more readily than cold ones. Put the flaked cod and the crushed garlic in a bowl. Beat it hard with a wooden spoon to break it down. Now add the warm oil in a very thin stream.
7. Beat constantly as you pour it in. Adding the oil too fast splits the mixture. Beat in the mashed potato once the oil is in. Now add the warm milk a little at a time. Keep beating until it is smooth and thick. It should be soft enough to spread easily. Add more warm milk if it seems stiff. Season it with white pepper and a squeeze of lemon. Grate a little nutmeg over it if you like.
8. Taste it before adding any salt at all. The cod usually brings quite enough salt with it. Spoon it into a shallow dish and smooth the top. Serve toasted bread or croutons alongside it. It keeps three days in the refrigerator. Let it come back to room temperature before serving.

Technique

• Salt cod from the northern Atlantic fisheries supplied Catholic Mediterranean Europe with fish for meatless days for centuries.
• The Monegasque version includes potato, which the strictest Provencal brandade does not.

Substitutions

• Fresh cod poached and salted lightly can be used, though the flavour is much milder.
• The potato can be left out entirely for a richer and more traditional Provencal style.

Variations

• Some cooks brown the top under a grill before serving.
• A version with more garlic is made in some households.
• Related salt cod purees are eaten all along the northern Mediterranean coast.

History

The Monégasque version of Provençal brandade, made with salt cod that Mediterranean ports imported from the northern Atlantic fisheries.

Frequently asked questions

What is Brandamincium?

Brandamincium is a main from Monaco: whipped salt cod and potato purée eaten on meatless days. The Monégasque version of Provençal brandade, made with salt cod that Mediterranean ports imported from the northern Atlantic fisheries.

How long does Brandamincium take to make?

Brandamincium takes 20 minutes plus 36 hours soaking of preparation and 40 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 6. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Brandamincium?

Yes, within limits. Fresh cod poached and salted lightly can be used, though the flavour is much milder. The potato can be left out entirely for a richer and more traditional Provencal style.

What is the most important thing to get right in Brandamincium?

Bring it slowly up to just below a simmer. Never let it boil, which makes the fish tough. Poach it for about ten minutes. The flesh should flake easily when pressed. Lift it out and let it cool a little. Flaking the cod takes some patience.