This recipe is inspired by three dishes – the Portuguese salted-cod fritters, the classic French brandade and the British favourite smoked haddock with potatoes and cheese. You can use as much cheese as you like here – I like a lot! It’s the perfect thing to eat with fresh crusty bread and a nice glass of wine.
Serves 2
350g young potatoes, unpeeled
4 cloves peeled garlic, 3 whole, 1 finely grated
140g fresh cod fillet, lightly salted
200ml single cream
Comté cheese, grated
Handful parsley, chopped
Pinch smoked paprika
Good quality extra virgin olive oil
Rinse the potatoes and boil them with the whole garlic cloves and a generous amount of salt until they are very soft.
Drain the liquid, reserving enough to poach the cod, reheat it to a simmer, add the cod and poach until cooked through (it depends on the size of your fillet, but no longer than three or four minutes).
Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and mash with the garlic.
Mix in the cod and gently beat everything together over a medium heat. Add the grated garlic and the single cream and continue to beat – the consistency should be that of a chunky dip. Add the grated comté cheese and the parsley.
Transfer to a serving plate, shake a little paprika over the top and drizzle with olive oil. Serve it with really good country bread.
