Cod & Potato Brandade

with Watermelon Radish Salad & Garlic Toasts

30 MIN

2 Servings

From the Test Kitchen

Brandade—called “brandade de morue” in French, or “brandada de bacalao” in Spanish—is a staple of Mediterranean comfort food. It’s traditionally made with dried salt cod and mashed potatoes, baked gratin-style with garlic and olive oil for a deliciously creamy interior and crispy crust. In our version, we’re pan-searing cod fillets, then flaking them into pieces. On the side, we’re serving garlic toasts and a salad made with gorgeous, mildly peppery watermelon radish (an heirloom variety named for its resemblance to the fruit).

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Nutrition

PER SERVING
Calories

685 Cals (est.)

fresh

ingredients

2 Cod Fillets
1 Small Baguette
5 cloves Garlic
1 Watermelon Radish
1 Romaine Heart
½ lb Yukon Gold Potato
1 bunch Thyme
2 Tbsps Butter
2 Tbsps Red Wine Vinegar
1 Shallot
½ cup Panko Breadcrumbs

time-saving

tips & techniques

step-by-step

instructions

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1 Prepare the ingredients:

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Peel and large dice the potato. Peel the garlic. Cut the baguette into ½-inch-thick slices. Pick the thyme leaves off the stems; discard the stems and roughly chop the leaves. Cut off and discard the root end of the lettuce; separate the leaves. Halve and very thinly slice the radish. Peel and mince the shallot to get 2 tablespoons of minced shallot (you may have extra); place in a medium bowl with the vinegar.

2 Cook & mash the potato:

Add the potato and 4 of the garlic cloves to the pot of boiling water and cook 12 to 14 minutes, or until the potato is tender when pierced with a fork. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Off the heat, add the butter. Using a fork, mash the mixture to your desired consistency; season with salt and pepper to taste.

3 Cook & flake the cod:

While the potato cooks, pat the cod fillets dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned fillets and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until lightly browned and cooked through. Transfer to a bowl; using 2 forks, carefully flake into large pieces.

4 Make the garlic toasts:

While the potato continues to cook, place the baguette on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Arrange in a single, even layer and toast in the oven 6 to 8 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven. When cool enough to handle, carefully rub 1 cut side of each toasted baguette slice with the remaining garlic clove; discard the clove.

5 Assemble & bake the brandade:

While the baguette toasts, to make the filling, gently stir the flaked cod into the pot of mashed potato, keeping the pieces as intact as possible; season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a baking dish. In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and thyme; season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in enough olive oil to moisten the mixture. Evenly spread the mixture over the filling. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and let stand for at least 2 minutes before serving.

6 Make the salad & serve your dish:

While the brandade bakes, to make the vinaigrette, season the shallot-vinegar mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Slowly whisk in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until well combined. Just before serving, in a large bowl, combine the lettuce and radish; season with salt and pepper. Add enough of the vinaigrette to coat the salad (you may have extra); toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving dish. Serve the baked brandade with the garlic toasts and salad on the side. Enjoy!