Country Homes & Interiors – September 2019

RecipesfromSardine:Simple

seasonalProvenÇalcooking

byAlexJackson(£25,

Pavilion Books)

SALTCODBRANDADE

Brandadehasmanyuses– spreadit overthetop

ofa croutontomakea simplecanapé,servewith

toast,a soft-boiledeggandsomechoppedparsley,

orusetostuff crisp, fried beignets (see next recipe).

SERVES 4

400gsaltedcodfillet,

soakedovernight

2 bayleaves

1tspblack peppercorns

Milk

4tbspoliveoil

2 garliccloves,peeled

andcrushed

200gflourypotatoes,

peeled and diced

1 Tomakethebrandade,putthesaltcod,bay

leavesandpeppercornsina pan.Addenoughmilk

tojustcoverthefish.Placethepanovera lowheat

andbringit veryslowlytoa simmer,thenturnoff

theheat.Leavethecodtopoachinthehotmilkfor

5min,thencarefullyliftthefishout.Discardthe

peppercornsandbayleaves,andsetthemilkaside.

2 Removetheskinfromthecod,alongwithany

bonesthatyoucansee.Heattheoliveoilgently

ina panwiththecrushedgarlic.Frythegarlic

gentlyfor5-10min.Setaside.Addthepotatoes

tothemilkandboiluntilsoft.Tastethemilktosee

whetheranysaltis required– theansweris usually

no!Drainandmashthepotatoes,reservingthemilk.

3 Flakethecodintoa blenderandadd1tbspofthe

reservedmilk.Blitztoa smooth(ish)purée.Addthe

potatoes,garlicoilandanothertbspofthemilk.

Blitzagain.Loosenthebrandadewitha littlemore

ofthereservedmilk,if needed.Thebrandade

shouldtastestrongbutnotoverlysalty,with a

goodhitofgarlicanda lotofoliveoil.

COOK’STIPTomakeyourownsaltcod,first

pin-bonea codfillet.Then,leavingtheskinon,

saltthefishheavilywithcoarserocksalt.Placein

a liddedstoragecontainerandleaveinthefridge

overnight.Thenextday,drainoffanyliquidand

repackthefishwithmoresalt.Leaveinthefridge

fora fewdays.Next,washoffthesaltandleave

thefishtosoakincleancoldwaterovernight.

Change the water once or twice.

FEATURE

THEA BABINGTON-STITT

PHOTOGRAPHS

MATT RUSSELL

BEIGNETSFILLEDWITH

SALTCODBRANDADE

Thesebeignetsareeffectivelyempanadasstuffed

witha perked-upsaltcodbrandade,thendeep-

frieduntilpuffedup,blisteredandlightlycrisp.

Servewithharissaora redpeppersauce.

MAKES APPROXIMATELY 15 BEIGNETS

Vegetableoil

FORTHEDOUGH

125mloliveoil

125mldrywhite wine

2 eggyolks

375gplainflour

Pinchofsalt

FORTHEFILLING

½quantityofsaltcod

brandade(seerecipe,left)

Zestof1 lemon and

1 orange

2tbspfinelychopped

freshparsleyorchervil

FORTHESAUCE

1 redpepper

2 garliccloves, peeled

Oliveoil

1 driedSpanishchilli

1 thymesprig, leaves

picked

1tbspredwinevinegar

1tspsweet paprika

Sea salt

1 Tomakethedough,whiskthewetingredients

togetherina largemixingbowlandthenstirin

theflourandsalt.Kneadbrieflytoforma smooth,

oilydough.Wrapthedough in clingfilm and

refrigeratefor1hr.

2 Meanwhile,preheatthegrill.Rubthepepper

andgarlicwitholiveoil.Grillthepepper,turning

occasionally,untiltheskinis blackenedand

blistered.Abouthalfwaythroughthecookingtime,

addthegarlicandgrilluntilblisteredandsoftened.

Putthedriedchilliina bowland pour over boiling

water.Leavetorehydrate.

3 Putthepepperina bowlandcovertightlywith

clingfilm.Allowtosteamfor15min,thenpeeloff

theskin.Don’tworryif someoftheskinadheresto

theflesh.Scoopoutthestalkanddiscardtheseeds.

Ina blender,blitzthepepperandgarlicwiththe

thymeandchillitomakea smoothsauce.Add

2tbspoliveoil,thevinegar,paprikaandsalt,to

taste.Thesauceshouldbesmokyandsharp.

4 Mixallofthefillingingredientstogether.Season.

5 Tomakethebeignets,rolloutthedoughto

1mm-thick.Usingan8cmcutter,cutthedoughinto

rounds.Puta heapedtspofthebrandadeinthe

middleofonehalfofeachround,thenfoldover

theotherhalftomakea half-moonshape.Rubthe

edgeslightlywithwatertohelpthedoughtostick.

Pressandcrimptheedgestoensurea tightseal.

6 Pourvegetableoilintoa deeppan,untilthe

oilis 5cmdeep.Heattheoilto170°Coruntila

smallpieceofbreadfizzesandfloats.Deepfrythe

beignetsinbatchesfor3-4minuntilgoldenbrown.

7 Drainthebeignetsonpaper towels, then serve

with the sauce on the side.

GOOD TIMES, GOOD FOOD

COUNTRY HOMES & INTERIORS 137