Epicure Recipe Card #37: Smoked Trout Brandade


This is the longest I have ever gone without posting something here. And, you know, the longer the dry spell is the less inclined you feel to post something. You start thinking, “Well it’s been this long anyway…” but then you remember the collection of photos you have, the fact that this is a hobby and not a chore, and how much enjoyment it brings that makes it all worthwhile. The blogging bug returns and you get the itch once again.

I also feel a bit of pressure to get my act together as I started the year with fifty of these recipe cards to get through, and I fear I have skipped a couple of weeks already which leaves no room for being lazy henceforth. But as always, there is a bit of a funny story to tell. This recipe card asks for smoked trout to be used in place of the more common smoked cod. “This French technique, customarily used on salted cod, works wonderfully with the moist flesh of hot-smoked trout, turning it into a perfect picnic starter with some crusty bread.”


I went looking for smoked trout but ended up bringing home smoked cod instead, so just as well that the two can be interchanged. If it is at all possible to buy either of these already skinned then I would highly recommend it, as pulling the skin off proved rather slippery work. I expected it to be like skinning a raw fillet of salmon but the skin was adhered to the smoked flesh much, much more so. This resulted in some wastage of the fish meat.

Wikipedia describes brandade as “an emulsion of salt cod and olive oil”. Avoid this recipe if you’re not keen on fish as it does have a pronounced fishiness but is mildly tempered by the addition of lemon juice, lemon zest and chives. A smooth-ish texture is produced but there’s still a fair bit of springy bite retained. I enjoyed it on top of water crackers.


Smoked Cod Brandade (serves 2)
(adapted from The Age – Epicure 50 Best Recipe Cards, recipe by Jill Dupleix)

Ingredients:
·         1mL milk
·         1 garlic cloved, smashed
·         200g smoked cod fillet, skin removed
·         1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
·         1 tbs chives, finely snipped
·         ½ tsp finely grated lemon zest
·         lemon juice, to taste

Method:
  1. Heat milk gently with garlic until just under the boil. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes before straining to remove the garlic and any milk skin which has formed.
  1. In the meantime, finely shred the smoked cod using a couple of forks. Gradually add the milk mixture to the trout whilst beating vigorously. Then beat in olive oil until the consistency is almost fluffy.

  1. Mix in chives, lemon zest and lemon juice. Add ground black pepper to taste. Serve with crusty bread, water crackers, lavosh or melba toasts.
 happy cooking!

18 comments:

  1. i think i would have fun with the shredding part. i like mashing things with forks. it's oddly therapeutic.

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  2. Mmmm fishy spread. This is a great alternative to the Kraft french onion dip! Yours looks much more appealing than the one of recipe card.

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  3. You know i tucked into my bar of Dairy milk after reading your last post! now it rests in the fridge, waiting for me for a few weeks! I love the last photo of flaked fish!!!!!!!

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  4. I think a little break is good for everyone. This would be a good picnic starter- something a little different!

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  5. This dip sounds like heaven. Oh yum! smoked cod yummmy *rubs my tummy*

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  6. um, excuse me. YUMMY I SAY, YUMMY!

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  7. The dry spell will pass and the mojo will be back. Looks simple enough and delicious. Nice little party dish!

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  8. I know exactly what you mean. I was in a bit of a rut in terms of blogging. But then you think about it and you start to miss it. I love smoked cod. I just fry it and eat it with rice and lots of lemon juice. This dip looks delicious.

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  9. a lovely recipe. I have not made anything with smoked code for the longest time!

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  10. This could be so highly addictive... Yumness.

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  11. Welcome back! :) And this looks good-I love fish so I can imagine that I'd really like it! I'm always looking out for recipes to use smoked cod in too :D

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  12. I could see myself happily munching away on this with a glass of champers. Nice to have you back posting :)

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  13. i'm just catching up on all your posts and agree with you completely about being away from a blog and coming back to it. it is fun but i guess sometimes we just need that break to come back. anyway, i think you're really dedicated to your recipe challenge and I'm more than confident that you'll get through all the cards! good to finally meet you also!!

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  14. I know the feeling of not posting in awhile - sometimes the inspiration isn't there! But glad you're back now and such a great recipe to greet us with!

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  15. Welcome back and I know the danger of falling into that rut where you procrastinate about posting! Your brandade looks heaps better than the bland wiki definition! Looks like it wouldn't look out of place in Portugal!

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  16. I'm bitterly disappointed you didn't use perfectly start a picnic with this. Still, I'll admit it looks pretty good. Even unpicniced.

    If you happen to find my blogging mojo while looking for yours please send it my way!

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  17. Hey Suze, the shredding part is fun! Fighting the fish to pull its skin off is not =(

    Hey Mark, I love crackers with dip or spread! And I reckon the smoked cod's colour is what makes it extra striking.

    Hey Kitchen Butterfly, heheh, Cadbury Dairy Milk!

    Hey Gastronomy Gal, I wish it was warmer so that I could pack it for a picnic! Love picnics - something so nostalgically romantic about them =)

    Hey Amy, I'm a sucker for smoked foods so this rated highly with me!

    Hey Laura, it was fishy but quite fresh and not oily like how smoked salmon can get sometimes.

    Hey Penny, just getting back into the swing of things now. Thanks =)

    Hey Kath, don't think I've ever had smoked cod 'cooked' but I would imagine its smokiness would work well with plain rice.

    Hey Anh, this is definitely the first time I've worked with smoked cod!

    Hey Maria, anything with crackers for me can be quite addictive! I just keep picking at it and picking at it...

    Hey Lorraine, think I'd like to try it in a pie perhaps, but nothing too creamy for me please.

    Hey Sara, mmmm, garden party with this and bubbly! Excellent idea.

    Hey panda, great to meet you too! Falling behind (again) with these recipe cards, I'm afraid but I'm determined to catch up somehow =p

    Hey Trissa, I know - we don't just post for the sake of it. If there's no passion in it then why bother?

    Hey Forager, haha, esp with epic posts like yours! I can only imagine how much time and effort your blog posts require but I absolutely love reading them =)

    Hey Conor, too cold for a picnic! Well, a typical outdoors one anyway =p

    Welcome back from your stint overseas and good to see you getting back into the blog of things too.

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  18. These are amazing. Simple, amazingly moist and great flavor! There are many different kinds of recipe cards you can choose from. Thanks a lot....

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