Being a Member of the European Parliament means being concerned in politics but in addition being immersed in multiculturalism. The day by day exchanges now we have with colleagues of various nationalities present how comparable our cultures are, particularly within the kitchen.
Dwelling as I do within the south of France, close to the Mediterranean Sea, fishing is the exercise par excellence. So, I made a decision to share one among my favorite seafood dishes, a recipe for French salt cod and potato brandade. Despite the fact that it typically has a detrimental connotation attributable to its gentle style and the truth that it’s typically preserved in salt, cod is a prevalent ingredient in southern Europe. In actual fact, cod is among the hottest fish in France, Portugal, Italy and Spain and is on the coronary heart of many recipes we share throughout cultures.
In France, this recipe is known as cod brandade, and it’s made with purée de pomme de terre – mashed potatoes. It’s a dish that appears easy however has the downside of being very time-consuming attributable to having to desalt the cod. Each time I put together this dish, I’ve to be actually affected person and meticulous.
I additionally selected this recipe as a result of it reminds of La Méditerranée et le monde méditerranéen à l’époque de Philippe II, an expansive historical past of the Mediterranean by Fernand Braudel. As documented within the e book, cod-fishing was one of the vital financial actions in Europe as early because the Center Ages. Basque fishermen have been a few of the first Europeans to find the wealthy cod grounds off the coast of North America, and it quickly grew to become a staple across the Mediterranean as a result of it was ample and simple to move.
As I typically say to my colleagues, sharing is caring. That’s the reason I’m sharing this recipe, which is one among my favorite dishes to make for mates within the south of France. Hopefully you and your folks will get pleasure from it as a lot as I do.
Elements
- 500 g salt cod fillets
- 500 g potatoes
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 onion
- 1 small bunch of recent flat parsley
- 1 small bunch of chives
- 150 ml olive oil
- 1 giant knob of butter
- 100 ml milk
Preparation
-
The day earlier than, desalt the cod fillets by soaking them in a big quantity of chilly water. Rinse them, change the water and soak them once more, do that 2-3 occasions and depart to soak in a single day in chilly water.
-
On the day of cooking, preheat your oven to 7-8 (200°C).
-
Peel and lower the potatoes into items. Cook dinner them for about 20 minutes in a pot of boiling water. As soon as the potatoes are cooked, mash them with a sieve, a fork or a potato masher. Warmth the milk. Then add a big knob of butter and the heated milk to the mashed potatoes. Whisk your purée vigorously whereas including virtually all of the olive oil (hold a small quantity to fry your onions) little by little. Hold your purée heat.
-
As soon as the purée is accomplished, drain and rinse your cod fillets after which dry them with a clear fabric. Mince the onion and chop the garlic, chives and flat parsley. Pour the remainder of the olive oil in a frying pan, fry the minced onion and chopped garlic, chives and flat parsley in olive oil. As quickly as your onions begin to grow to be translucent and a bit golden, add the cod fillets. Cook dinner over a low warmth for a couple of minutes, crumbling the cod fillets with a spatula.
-
Add your crumbled cod fillets to the mashed potatoes and blend properly. Put your cod brandade combination in a casserole dish and clean the highest with a fork. Put it within the oven for quarter-hour after which take away it from the oven. Serve heat.
