One of my favorite parts of this blog is challenging myself to use new and different ingredients and/or new and different techniques. So when I was contacted to participate in CFE’s International Saltfish Blogger Recipe Challenge, I jumped at the chance.
So what exactly is saltfish? It is fish, typically cod, pollock, or other white fish cured with dry salt to preserve it. This method of preservation dates back centuries, as it helped preserve fish without refrigeration.
CFE International offers a number of brands of salt fish: Buena Ventura, Cristobal, BacalaRico, and Isla Brisa. For this challenge, I was sent some Isla Brisa Salted Alaska Pollock Fillets to use in a recipe. (You can find these brands of saltfish in your local Cousins, H-Mart, Jetro, Price Chopper, and Price Rite supermarkets.)
I decided to do a spin on Brandade (Whipped Salt Fish Spread), a salt fish spread popular in Mediterranean countries. It’s also known as Brandada in Spain, and Baccala Mantecato in Italy.
The spread is whipped salt fish, potatoes, olive oil, and cream with seasoning and is served with crusty bread. My version below adds in some roasted garlic, caramelized onions, and horseradish to add new layers of flavor.
Ingredients:
Roasted Garlic:
- 6-8 peeled garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Caramelized Onions:
- 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- salt, to taste
Brandade:
- 12 oz Isla Brisa saltfish
- 2 medium potatoes
- roasted garlic, recipe below
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
- 1 tablespoon horseradish
- 2 tablespoons parsley, plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons dill, plus more for garnish
- salt and pepper, to taste
- sliced baguette,