Brandade de Morue au Gratin (Cod Brandade)

Original recipe: Jacques Pepin (NY Times Cooking)

Serves 8-10

Prep time: 25 hours, including 24 hours of soaking time

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

1lb (454g) skinless salt cod

1lb (454g) Red Bliss potatoes

1.5 cups (354ml) whole milk

8 garlic cloves, peeled

1 tsp (5ml) finely-grated lemon zest

2 tbsp (10ml) fresh lemon juice

1/8 tsp (0.62ml) ground cayenne pepper

3/4 cup (177ml) extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp (10ml) freshly-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Black pepper to taste

2 baguettes, cut into slices to serve

Directions:

1. Put salt cod in a deep bowl and cover to one inch with cold, fresh water. Store in refrigerator for 24 hours, changing the water every 4-6 hours.

2. Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, roughly 25-30 minutes. Drain, and let potatoes cool down until they are warm, not hot.

3. Meanwhile, drain the cod and put it in a saucepan. Cover the filets with cold water and bring just to a boil. Drain the cod and rinse out the pan. Cover once again with water and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium and let simmer for 5 minutes. Drain the cod again.

4. This time, add the milk and garlic. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Cover and let the mixture gently simmer for 10 minutes.

5. Peel the potatoes and chop them into chunks. Place them in a food processor and add the cod, milk, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and cayenne. Process the mixture until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil and let mix until fully incorporated. Season with black pepper as desired.

6. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a 9” x 13” baking dish. Spread the mixture evenly into the dish. Sprinkle the Parmigiano-Reggiano on top and bake for 20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Serve hot or warm with the baguette slices.

Brandade can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, and reheated before serving.