Cod back with brandade, leek and chocolate sauce
12 servings
40 minutes
Cod back with brandade, leeks, and chocolate sauce is an exquisite dish that combines Italian culinary traditions with unique flavor notes. Salting the cod reveals its texture and depth of flavor, while brandade—a creamy blend of baked potatoes and fish—adds velvetiness to the dish. Leeks sautéed in butter contribute a gentle sweetness, while the chocolate sauce made from Madeira and chicken broth surprises with contrast: the slight bitterness of chocolate highlights the richness of the fish. This dish harmoniously blends sophistication with the comfort of home cooking, suitable for both a festive dinner and a gastronomic experiment.
1
The day before, sprinkle a layer of sea salt in a tray. Place the fish fillet on it. Cover with sea salt and leave for 6 hours. Remove the fish from the salt and rinse under cold running water. Soak in a basin of water for another 6 hours, changing the water 2-3 times. The next day, cut six portion pieces from the fillet and dry with a paper towel.
- Cod fillet: 2 kg
- Coarse sea salt: to taste
2
For brandade, preheat the oven to 170 degrees. Wash and dry the potatoes. Place unpeeled potatoes on a tray and bake until soft. Slice the onion into thin rings and the garlic cloves into slices. Combine them in a pot with a bouquet garni and milk. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and let steep for 10 minutes. Return to low heat, add the fish fillets, and cook for 8-10 minutes. Flake the fish into pieces, place them in a blender with the peeled potatoes and warm cream. Blend until smooth, then slowly add olive oil, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
- Potato: 600 g
- Onion: 1 piece
- Garlic: 4 cloves
- Milk: 3 l
- Bouquet garni: 1 bunch
- Cream: 100 ml
- Olive oil: 300 ml
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
3
Cut the leek lengthwise into 4 parts, then slice into thin rings. Heat peanut oil and 2 tablespoons of butter over low heat. Add the leek. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 10 minutes until soft.
- Leek: 60 g
- Butter: 130 g
- Peanut butter: 1 tablespoon
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
4
For the chocolate sauce, reduce the Madeira to 100 ml. Pour in the chicken broth and cook for 7 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the chopped chocolate. Once the sauce is smooth, return the pot to low heat. Continuously whisking, add the remaining butter cut into pieces. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Madeira: 750 ml
- Chicken broth: 100 ml
- Dark chocolate: 250 g
- Butter: 130 g
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
5
For the cod back, preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Season the prepared portioned fillet pieces with pepper on the flesh side and sprinkle with curry. Heat olive oil in a pan and fry the fish for 1 minute on each side, then finish cooking in the oven for 5 minutes.
- Cod fillet: 2 kg
- Curry powder: 1 tablespoon
- Olive oil: 300 ml
6
To serve, place leek fondue at the bottom of the serving plate, cover it with brandade, and top with a piece of fried fish. Serve with chocolate sauce.
- Leek: 60 g
- Potato: 600 g
- Cod fillet: 2 kg
- Dark chocolate: 250 g