Cod Brandade Fritters

"I created this dish as a tribute to my partner in Agricola, owner Jim Nawn, and his Massachusetts heritage," says Josh Thomsen, executive chef of the Princeton restaurant. "Second, I was thinking about comfort food while writing a menu for passed hors d'oeuvres for parties."

Cod Brandade Fritters by Agricola executive chef Josh Thomsen
Cod Brandade Fritters at Agricola. Photo by Stuart Goldenberg

Preparing the Cod:

8 ounces/ 220 grams salted cod.

For the first 24 hours, place the fish in a container with enough cold water to cover and leave it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Change the water every 8 hours. The cod is ready to be used when it feels like fresh cod filet again.

Brandade:

1½ pounds/ 700 grams potatoes
Milk to cover cod in pot
5 large cloves garlic, roasted in their skins and chopped into a paste or 2 raw cloves, minced
A pinch of sweet paprika
1 cup olive oil
White pepper freshly ground

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350F/ 180C. About an hour before you start cooking, prick the potatoes all over with a fork, place them on a roasting tray and bake until tender.

Remove the cod from the water, rinse it and place it in a saucepan with enough milk to cover. When the potatoes are baked, start heating the milk and cod until just below a simmer and gently poach the fish for 3 to 5 minutes until tender and flaky. Remove from heat.

Halve the potatoes, scoop out the flesh and press it through your finest sieve, or the finest disk of a food mill. When ready, cover the potatoes with plastic wrap and keep warm.

Drain the poached cod and discard the milk. Place the cod in a food processor and pulse briefly, just enough to break it up. Add the garlic and paprika and pulse a few times. Add the olive oil in 3 batches, a ¼-cup each time, pulsing after each addition.

Transfer the processed cod to a large bowl and fold in half the warm potatoes. Taste as you add the rest of the potatoes, ensuring that you can still taste the cod.

Add a few more tablespoons of olive oil, just enough to provide a balance of cod, potato and olive oil, then season to taste with salt and white pepper.

Roll the brandade into 18 balls of about 2 tablespoons each and set aside.

The Batter:

1 cup all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon baking powder
1½ teaspoons fine sea salt
1 cup beer

Method:

Mix all the dry ingredients together, then add the beer or sparkling water and mix to get a batter that is thick and slightly lumpy. Leave to sit for at least 10 minutes.

To Serve:

Cod brandade, rolled into balls

Heat at least 3 inches of oil to 350F/ 180C in a deep fryer or large saucepan.

Cooking the brandade in batches, add about 5 balls at a time to the batter, rolling them to cover all sides, then place in the oil, without crowding. Turn the balls to brown all sides evenly, which should take about 4 to 5 minutes per batch.

Remove and drain on a rack set over a tray.

When all the brandade is cooked:

Place 3 brandade balls on each plate and serve with shaved fennel, oven dried tomatoes, parsley leaves.

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