Brandade de morue was one of the all-time favorite dishes at Le Pichet and Cafe Presse. Whenever it was not on the menu, guests would be asking when it was coming back. Our local fish shop, Poissonerie Otano, always has beautiful salt cod on offer, either as fillets or “miettes” which means small odds and ends that are cheaper, and usually used for purees and fillings. I have been itching to buy some and taste it for quality. Salt cod has been a specialty of the Basque countries for time out of mind; the Basques will tell you that they were fishing and salting cod in Newfoundland before the arrival of Columbus!
Since brandade is warm and comforting on a grey day and a bit heavy for hot days, it seemed like a good time to make a batch before the temperatures begin to rise. With toasted bread and a green salad (and a bottle of rosé, of course), it makes a hearty lunch all by itself. By the way, the quality of the salt cod from Otano is excellent, firm and delicious, not too salty.
