Name: Cod Brandade
Yield: 10 as an appetizer
Ingredients: 1 12-ounce skinless cod fillet, pin bones removed; ¼ cup Escabeche N.25 spice blend; 2 tablespoons kosher salt; ½ pound Yukon Gold potatoes; 3 garlic cloves plus 1 tablespoon chopped garlic; 1 cup dry white wine; 3 cups water; 1 cup coarsely chopped onion; 6 thyme sprigs; 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 lemon, halved; 2 teaspoons chopped parsley; 2 teaspoons chopped chives; ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil; Freshly ground black pepper; Toasted baguette slices, for serving

My chef friend Jeremy likes to add his own twist to classic dishes, like this cod brandade. Instead of buying salted cod, he gives fresh fish a quick cure, which lets him infuse the cod with the citrusy flavors of my Escabeche blend. I only wish that you could have Jeremy in your kitchen when you prepare this recipe; he’d show you the real meaning of the “joy of cooking.”

Cod Brandade

Jeremy Flowers, from "The Art of Blending" by Lior Lev Sercarz

Servings/Yield

10 as an appetizer

Ingredients

1 12-ounce skinless cod fillet, pin bones removed
¼ cup Escabeche N.25 spice blend
2 tablespoons kosher salt
½ pound Yukon Gold potatoes
3 garlic cloves plus 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups water
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
6 thyme sprigs
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 lemon, halved
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
2 teaspoons chopped chives
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Toasted baguette slices, for serving

Directions

In a bowl, mix ¼ cup Escabeche spice blend and 2 tablespoons salt. Set aside 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of this mixture. Spread the remaining mixture all over both sides of the fish, place the fish in a non-reactive metal tray or glass baking pan and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 5 hours.
In a saucepan, cover the potatoes, garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon of the reserved Escabeche/salt with water by one inch. Bring to boil, lower the heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are tender. Drain, reserving the garlic, and peel the potatoes. In a bowl, mash the potato and garlic together with a fork.
Place wine, 3 cups water, onion, chopped garlic, thyme, halved lemon and 1 tablespoon of the Escabeche/salt mixture in a pot large enough to hold the fish. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Rinse the cured cod. Bring the poaching liquid to a boil, add the fish, turn off the heat and let cook for 5 minutes.
Remove the fish from the poaching liquid and add to the potatoes. Flake the fish apart with a fork and stir into the potatoes. Stir in the lemon zest, parsley, chives and remaining 1 teaspoon of Escabeche/salt mixture. Stir in the olive oil and season to taste with pepper. Spoon the brandade over the toasts and serve.