Brandade

Skepticism abounded on that slightly chilly day at the dining room table in Hyde Park, New York. Ten aspiring young chefs sat around a large round dining table under a tent on the lawn, being served by upper class men at the Culinary Institute of America. The menu listed our appetizer as "brandade," and somebody at the table said it was salted cod whipped with potatoes. My own opinion was that this was probably going to be just as gross as eating those canned anchovies my mother liked to put on her pizza. Some of my new classmates vowed not to even touch it. Some just looked nervous.

The small pot of brandade was set in front of me, along with a couple slivers of baguette. At this point in my life I refused to be outdone. I was 20 years old, had an incredible resumé and no desire to appear the slightest bit feminine when it came to my work ethic, or my eating habits. As I recall I was only a week away from eating a chocolate covered grasshopper in front of my entire class in order to retain my pride and dignity. I smeared a decent helping of the salt cod on the baguette and shoved it in. Luckily, it was one of the most delicious things I've ever had the pleasure of eating. And now, even though I hate the chill of winter, I know it's not all bad because it signals to me that it is time to make the brandade. I made it this morning, 10 years after I first became enamored with the humble dip, and I sit here shoveling spoonfuls of it in as I type (sans bread at this point in my life, I'll even eat it cold straight out of the fridge!).

There are so many different recipes and methods and a rich history surrounding brandade. Brandade is actually the reason that explorers were able to last out on the ocean for months at a time, and it's the reason our ancestors were able to settle here (America).  As you can imagine, when you are stuck on a boat in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean for months on end, you make it work when it comes to preparing meals. So sure, brandade can be made without potatoes or milk or even garlic. But if you have those ingredients it can only get better! Here's how I made it this morning:

Brandade:    Yd: 2 quarts

1 pound salt cod

6 yukon gold potatoes

1/2 cup cream

3 cups milk

3 cloves garlic

3/4 cup olive oil

1/3 pound butter

salt and pepper to taste

Soak the cod for 2 days. Change the water each day. This pulls the excess salt out of the fish and makes it palatable. I've been known to use fresh cod if I'm in a hurry, it still taste great. 

When the cod is ready to cook peel the garlic and smash the cloves with the back of a knife. Let it sit for 5 minutes, as this allows the beneficial enzymes in the garlic to react in order to provide maximum health benefits.

Peel and dice the potatoes. 

Place the cod, potatoes and garlic in the pot and cover with milk and cream. The cream keeps the milk from curdling. Cook on medium heat until the potatoes are tender.

Drain off the excess milk and add the butter and olive oil, reserving a little olive oil to drizzle on top.

Season with salt and pepper and beat the mixture with a whisk until it becomes somewhat smooth. 

Place in a nice dish and drizzle some olive oil on top.

Enjoy with some toasted bread or just eat it straight off the spoon!

Intro

 My style is simple but my food is bold. I believe in eating a wide variety of whole foods and not worrying about it too much. When it comes to cooking I tend to let the farmers do all the hard work. I have a repertoire of classic technique that makes it easy to showcase the natural beauty and flavor of the food I prepare. My goal is to promote health and healing through the every day act of eating. There is a direct correlation between the food we eat and the way we feel. The agriculture industry has admitted that conventionally grown crops in the U.S. are less nutritious than they were even 50 years ago. The exception being local farms where there are good stewards on the land. Hopefully, you have already joined a community supported agriculture program. My goal for this blog is to show great ways to utilize what you get in your CSA box. One of the awesome goodies in the box from Riverview Farms this week is popcorn. If you haven't had a chance to enjoy the experience of popcorn that hasn't been saturated in toxic hydrogenated fake butter you are in for a real treat!

Popcorn            yd:2 qts  

1/2 cup corn kernels

2 tbs butter

1 tbs olive oil

1 tbs zatar seasoning

Redmond's mineral salt, to taste

The key to picking a pot to pop your corn in is simple. Just make sure that the kernels can fit in a single layer on the bottom of the sauce pot. A sauté pan will not work for this endeavor, unfortunately. You want a pot with a lid, but I have been known to stick a cast iron skillet (or any skillet for that matter) on top of a pot if I didn't have a lid that fit. 

Heat the pot to medium-high heat, and add your butter and oil. If you think this sounds like too much oil I will warn you that if you don't have enough fat in the pan your popcorn will taste stale. Just use good, whole fats and remember that your brain needs fat to function properly. When the butter starts to foam a little add your kernels to the pan. Place the lid on top and then start shaking the pot. You want to keep it on the burner, but you have to move and agitate the kernels or else they will burn. Shake it back and forth and don't give up. In about 4 to 6 minutes you will start hearing a popping sound. Keep shaking until you don't hear a kernel pop for 2 seconds. Take the popcorn off the heat and toss in a bowl with the zatar seasoning and salt. Of course you can do any variation on seasoning you want. One of my other favorites is to use a couple tablespoons of sesame oil and chili flakes.

Root Vegetable Pavé

As winter comes around I look for dishes that I can bake ahead of time and eat whenever I get the urge. Casseroles, tagines and stews are great to keep around for a few days because they usually taste better a day or two after you make them. Pavé is a fancy French word that's basically defined as any food that has a rectangular shape, so if you don't want to sound too bourgie you can just change the name of this to "root vegetable gratin". I personally enjoy most things French.
The thing about this dish is that it's a hearty winter dish that can be served as a "starch", but it doesn't have russet potatoes like most root vegetable gratins. I tend to avoid conventional potatoes because I feel that other root vegetables are a lot more interesting and provide nutrients that most Americans fail to get enough of. Parsnips are a good source of calcium and magnesium as well as folate, which is the naturally occurring form of vitamin b9, a water soluble vitamin that prevents anemia and has been linked to helping fight anorexia through proper regulation of hormones in the brain.

Root Vegetable Pavé:
yd:6 squares
1 parsnip
1 carrot
1 small celery root
1 medium sweet potato
1 tsp chopped thyme
2 cloves garlic
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 tsp celery seed
3/4 cup parmesan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice vegetables thinly on a japanese mandolin. Toss in a mixing bowl with heavy cream and season with salt, pepper, thyme and celery seed. Layer in an enameled cast iron casserole dish. The best way to do it is to start with the celery root, then a layer of sweet potatoes, followed by parsnips. I save the carrots for the top as a garnish. In between each layer I sprinkle some shredded parmesan, but this isn't a necessary or integral part of the dish. Pour the excess cream over the gratin and cover with wax paper and foil. Bake for one hour or until tender when pierced with a skewer.