SALT COD MOUSSE

Salt Cod Mousse image

The most familiar preparation of salt cod to most Americans is brandade de morue, or salt cod mousse. For this, the cooked cod is best pounded with a big mortar and pestle to a very creamy consistency. For busy cooks, the recipe here calls for the job to be done in a food processor, but the texture is not quite the same. Purists willing to use a little muscle power will be rewarded with the best results.

Provided by Mark Bittman

Time 45m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

1 pound boneless salt cod, soaked overnight, drained and poached 15 minutes
2 cloves garlic, peeled, or to taste
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2/3 cup heavy cream or milk
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt, if necessary

Steps:

Place half the cod in a food processor with garlic and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Process, stopping machine to stir down sides once or twice, until as smooth as possible. Add remaining cod, and repeat.
Through feed tube, add small amounts of olive oil alternating with small amounts of cream. Continue until mixture becomes smooth, creamy and light. (You may not need all the oil and cream.) Add pepper, some lemon juice and nutmeg. Blend, and taste; mixture may need salt and lemon juice. (To this point, you can prepare dish several hours ahead, or even a day; cover, and refrigerate until ready to eat.)
Just before serving, heat brandade very gently in a nonstick saucepan or in a 300-degree oven, covered. Serve with bread, toast or crackers.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 396, UnsaturatedFat 18 grams, Carbohydrate 2 grams, Fat 27 grams, Fiber 0 grams, Protein 36 grams, SaturatedFat 7 grams, Sodium 3992 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram