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- I'M ENJOYING A BRANDADE DE MORUE.

THIS IS ATLANTIC COD, SALTED, DRY, AND IT'S REALLY THE FOUNDATION OF A VERY TRADITIONAL FRENCH DISH.

A DISH THAT MY MOTHER-IN-LAW, WHO WAS FROM PUERTO RICO, ABSOLUTELY ADORE, AND THIS IS HOW I DID IT.

TAKE A POUND OF SALTED CODFISH AND SOAK IT IN A LOT OF WATER FROM THE TAP, COLD WATER, FOR A BIT, AT LEAST 4 HOURS.

THEN DRAIN IT, RINSE IT, AND PLACE IT BACK AGAIN IN A LOT OF COLD WATER FROM THE TAP FOR ANOTHER 2 HOURS.

THEN BREAK THE SOAKED COD INTO PIECES, PLACE IT IN A POT WITH ABOUT EIGHT CLOVE OF PEELED GARLIC.

AND ABOUT A CUP AND A HALF OF MILK.

COVER THE POT.

BRING IT TO A BOIL, THEN REDUCE THE HEAT AND COOK IT GENTLY, COVERED, FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES.

THEN TRANSFER THE WHOLE MIXTURE TO A FOOD PROCESSOR WITH SOME BOILED POTATO WHICH ARE COOKED, PEELED, AND ROUGHLY CUT INTO PIECES.

ADD LEMON ZEST, A LITTLE BIT OF CAYENNE PEPPER, THEN PROCESS FOR ABOUT A MINUTE, STOPPING MIDWAY TO CLEAN THE MIXTURE FROM THE SIDE, AND WHILE STILL PROCESSING, AT THE END, POUR IN ABOUT 3/4 OF A CUP OF THE BEST POSSIBLE OLIVE OIL AND WHEN IT TASTE JUST RIGHT, PUT THE BRANDADE INTO AN OILED BAKING DISH.

SMOOTH THE TOP AND SPRINKLE WITH GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE, THEN PLACE IN A 400-DEGREE OVEN UNTIL IT'S HOT ALL THE WAY THROUGH AND LIGHTLY BROWN ON TOP, ABOUT TEN MINUTE.

AND THAT'S HOW IT'S DONE.

IT'S A WONDERFUL FIRST COURSE OR LIGHT LUNCH.

IT'S TERRIFIC WITH POACHED EGGS.

IT'S GREAT FOR A BIG PARTY, YOU KNOW, FOR HORS D'OEUVRE WITH APERITIF.

AND I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU HOW TO COOK MUCH MORE FISH TODAY.

I'M CREATING A DISH USING FRESH COD.

THIS IS COMING UP IN ESSENTIAL PEPIN.

[upbeat string music] ♪ ♪ - I PROBABLY EAT MORE FISH NOW THAN I EVER DID IN MY LIFE, MAYBE BECAUSE, I DON'T KNOW, I'M OLDER, I LIVE BY THE SEA, AND I LIKE FISH.

I MEAN, THE FISH, FRESH, SALTED, FARM, WILD OF COURSE, FISH CAN BE SAUTEED, GRILLED, FRIED, BAKED, ROASTED, ANY OTHER WAY.

TODAY WE'RE DOING ALL KIND OF FISH: A SEA BASS IN SHREDDED POTATO SKIN, A NAGE COURTE, WHICH IS A KIND OF STRONG STOCK OF STRIPED BASS, AND CODFISH IN OLIVE AND HORSERADISH SAUCE.

AND I'M GOING TO START RIGHT ON WITH THAT FISH IN SHREDDED POTATO SKIN.

SO I'M PUTTING LEEK IN THERE, TOO, AND OF COURSE, I KEEP THIS FOR MY STOCK.

IN A BAG UNDERNEATH, AND OPEN THAT IN HALF.

AND WE WANT NOW TO, OF COURSE, EXPOSE THE CENTER OF THE LEEK AND WE WANT TO WASH IT UNDER WATER.

YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE TO DO THAT, BUT I WANT TO ADD SOME OF THIS TO MY--TO THE POTATO.

THAT'S IT.

CAN USE SCALLION, OR FOR THAT MATTER, ONION, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE FINE, TOO.

OKAY.

WE HAVE LARGE POTATO HERE, WHICH WE ARE GOING TO PEEL.

IT HELPS WHEN YOU HAVE A NICE VEGETABLE PEELER.

NOW MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER.

OKAY.

I CAN USE THE POTATO THIS WAY OR WASH THEM FIRST, WHICH I'M GOING TO DO THIS ONE.

IF I WASH IT FIRST, I PROBABLY WON'T WASH IT AFTER AND KEEP THE STARCH IN THE POTATO ITSELF TO BE ABLE TO COHERE THE MIXTURE TOGETHER.

I CAN USE THIS, WHICH IS FINE.

WATCH FOR YOUR KNUCKLE.

HERE IT IS.

IT'S NOT QUITE AS NICE AS IF YOU HAVE THAT TYPE OF BLADE HERE.

AND THE REASON IS THAT THIS GETS A LITTLE MORE PASTY-LIKE.

THIS IS GREAT.

PUT THAT IN THERE.

PUT THAT ONE TOO.

THAT'S IT.

I HAVE THIS HERE.

AND THIS IS OF COURSE WHAT YOU DO THE ROESTI POTATO WITH.

YOU KNOW, THE SWISS CALL THAT ROESTI OR SOME TYPE OF POTATO PANCAKE.

WHAT I'M GOING TO DO HERE IS TO PRESS THE JUICE OUT OF THE POTATO HERE.

AND IF I WERE TO LET THAT REST 5-10 MINUTE, THE TOP WOULD BE CLEAR.

I HAVE DONE IT.

THE TOP WOULD BE CLEAR.

THEN I WOULD POUR OUT THE CLEAR WATER OUT OF THAT, AND I BET YOU I WOULD HAVE HERE CLOSE TO A TABLESPOON OF POTATO STARCH THAT I COULD USE.

OKAY, HERE WE ARE.

I'M GOING TO PUT A DASH OF SALT AND PEPPER IN THERE.

THERE WE ARE, FRESHLY GROUND PEPPER.

AND I'M DOING THAT WITH THE FISH HERE.

MIX THAT TOGETHER.

AS A CRUST ON TOP OF MY FISH.

I'VE DONE THAT ALSO WITH SLICED POTATO, YOU KNOW?

THIS IS EVEN EASIER THAN THE SLICED POTATO.

SO HERE IS THE FISH.

I HAVE A NICE FILET HERE.

YOU CAN USE A SEA BASS, AND THIS ACTUALLY IS A SNAPPER.

BUT ANY LARGE FISH LIKE THAT IS GOING TO BE USED IN THE SAME WAY.

AGAIN, A LITTLE BIT OF SALT ON TOP OF THE FISH.

THAT'S IT.

SO NOW, I'M GOING TO PUT OIL IN THERE.

I WANT IT REALLY NICE AND HOT.

AND I WILL DO MY LITTLE PACKAGE.

SO LET'S SEE, I HAVE 4 PIECE OF FISH, SO I SHOULD HAVE FOUR PACKAGE OF POTATO ABOUT THE SAME SIZE.

AND I NEED HALF, HALF OF THE POTATO UNDERNEATH.

ONE, TWO.

I THINK I'M GOING TO ADD A LITTLE MORE OLIVE OIL ON THIS.

AND I PUT MY FISH.

SO YOU CAN SEE THAT'S AN EASY WAY OF DOING IT ON TOP.

AND FINALLY THE POTATO COVER.

SO WHEN IT'S NICE AND CRISP ON ONE SIDE, YOU TURN IT TO GET IT NICE AND CRISP ON THE OTHER SIDE.

THIS SHOULD COOK, YOU KNOW, 5-6 MINUTES THROUGH THE POTATO STARTING GETTING TO THE FISH, AND THEN YOU TURN IT ON THE OTHER SIDE, SAME THING ON THE OTHER SIDE.

I'M GOING TO COVER IT.

AND THAT'S IT.

I THINK IT'S TIME THAT I LOOK AT MY, AT MY FISH HERE.

I'M GOING TO GO UNDERNEATH.

THAT'S GETTING THERE.

THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL, MOIST CRUST, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU HAVE ON TOP.

YOU CAN SEE THAT EVEN IN A PAN LIKE THAT ON THE SAME STOVE, YOU WILL HAVE AREA OF THE PAN WHICH ARE HOTTER THAN THE OTHER.

ALWAYS HAPPENS.

I'M GOING TO COVER IT AGAIN.

REMEMBER, THE FISH IS LIKE A GOOD INCH, INCH AND A HALF OF THICKNESS.

AND THE THICKNESS OF THE POTATO, YOU DON'T WANT THE FISH TO BE OVERCOOKED, BUT YOU WANT IT TO BE COOKED.

LOOK AT THE WATER OF MY POTATO NOW.

YOU KNOW, WHICH RESTED A FEW MINUTES.

YOU HAVE THAT CLEAR THING ON TOP.

I CAN POUR THAT OUT.

AND AS I SAID, PROBABLY HAVE AT LEAST A TABLESPOON OF, YOU KNOW, POTATO STARCH HERE.

FOR FREE.

IT'S GREAT.

ANY CASE, THE FISH IS COOKED NOW.

LET ME CHECK IT OUT.

OH, YEAH.

WATERCRESS IF THERE IS POTATO IS ALWAYS GREAT.

LET ME TURN ANOTHER ONE TO SEE.

THESE ARE BEAUTIFUL ON THE OTHER SIDE AS WELL.

WE HAVE THAT NICE CRUST.

WOW.

OKAY.

SO HERE WE ARE, SEA BASS OR SNAPPER IN SHREDDED CRUSTED POTATO ON EACH SIDE.

AND NOW I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO ANOTHER RECIPE WITH BASS.

THOSE ARE STRIPED BASS.

AND WITH THAT, WE ARE GOING TO DO A STOCK.

YOU KNOW, A STOCK, WHAT I WANT TO DO IS TO POACH THE WHOLE FISH INTO A VERY FLAVORFUL STOCK OF VEGETABLE.

AND JUST FINISH IT WITH A BIT OF OIL AND BUTTER.

SO IT'S PRETTY EASY RECIPE, TOO.

SO I HAVE WHITE WINE HERE.

I'M GOING TO PUT IN THERE.

THAT PAN IS HOT.

VERY HOT.

WATER.

SALT IN THERE.

PEPPER.

A LITTLE BIT OF ONION.

A RED ONION OR ANOTHER ONION.

LEEK.

NAGE MEANS SWIMMING IN FRENCH, YOU KNOW, SO WHEN WE CALL SOMETHING A NAGE IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU PUT IN LIQUID, IN A LOT OF LIQUID.

AND HERE IT'S A NAGE COURTE, WHICH IS A SHORT NAGE RATHER THAN A BIG STOCK LIKE YOU WOULD DO A CHICKEN STOCK POACHING THINGS IN IT.

HERE, IT'S A VERY SHORT ONE, NOT THAT MUCH LIQUID.

HERE.

OKAY.

HERE IT IS.

I THINK I WILL USE THAT LITTLE STRIPPER HERE TO GET ACTUAL-- THE SKIN.

YOU KNOW, THE LITTLE STRIP OF LEMON SKIN HERE, GIVE ME A LOT OF FLAVOR.

MAYBE ONE CLOVE OF GARLIC, I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TOO MUCH HERE.

THAT'S IT.

LET THAT COME TO A BOIL, COUPLE OF MINUTES.

NOW IT'S COOKED.

IT'S BOILING NICELY.

I PUT SALT IN THERE?

I DID.

I THINK I NEED A LITTLE MORE WHITE WINE.

MOST OF IT EVAPORATED.

AND I THINK A LITTLE DASH OF OLIVE OIL, TOO.

SO I HAVE A VERY FLAVORFUL STOCK HERE.

SO THERE I'M GOING TO USE THE FISH WHOLE.

SO I WILL GO UNDER THE FIN HERE TO GO TOWARD THE HEAD.

TO REMOVE THAT HEAD.

AND THE TAIL.

AND I THINK I HAVE TO REMOVE THE FIN AS WELL.

YES, A FILET OF FISH, OR THE FLESH OF THE FISH, YOU KNOW, STAY VERY MOIST ON THE BONE.

OKAY.

LET'S SEE WHAT THAT LOOK LIKE.

LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.

THE FISH IS JUST GOING TO FILL IN THIS.

LIKE EMBEDDED A LITTLE BIT, MAYBE ON THIS SIDE LIKE THIS.

I TURN IT IN THE HOT LIQUID TO START COOKING THE TOP.

RIGHT AWAY IT FIRM UP, WHICH INDICATE THE FISH IS REALLY FRESH.

BRING TO A BOIL, AND THAT PROBABLY WILL TAKE LIKE 10 MINUTES BY THE TIME IT'S REALLY COOKED TO THE CENTER.

THEN WE'LL BOIL IT OUT.

AND WITH THE JUICE, FINISH IT WITH A BIT OF BUTTER SO A VERY NATURAL WAY OF COOKING FISH.

OKAY.

YEP.

THAT'S IT.

IT'S COOKED.

SO I'M GOING TO TAKE ONE RIGHT HERE ON THE TABLE.

I HAVE ANOTHER ONE HERE.

THAT'S SLIGHTLY BIGGER.

AND THIS, WHOOP, I HAVE A LITTLE PIECE OF SKIN, I WANT TO REMOVE IT HERE.

I WANT THIS TO BE PRETTY CLEAN.

I WANT TO TASTE IT, IN FACT.

AND GOOD, NEEDS SALT.

AND NOW I WANT TO BRING IT TO A STRONG BOIL BECAUSE I WANT TO FINISH IT WITH A BIT OF OLIVE OIL AND BUTTER.

SO HERE, WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF PULL OUT THAT SKIN, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S RELATIVELY EASY, JUST SLIDE OFF, YOU KNOW, FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER.

I COULD DO THE OTHER SIDE.

WHOOP.

HERE WE ARE.

THIS IS REALLY MOIST.

THE FIN ARE IN THERE.

SO YOU GO IN THE CENTER UP TO THE BONE AND YOU PULL OUT FROM THE BONE.

YOU KNOW, THIS WAY.

AND IT SHOULD SEPARATE RIGHT THERE.

YOU SEE, BARELY SEPARATE HERE, AND YOU'LL SEE WHY, BECAUSE IT WILL BE STILL SLIGHTLY UNDERCOOKED RIGHT IN THE CENTER HERE.

YOU CAN SEE.

NOW, MY WIFE WOULD LOVE IT JUST LIKE THAT.

FOR ME, I WOULD COOK IT SLIGHTLY MORE, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, THERE IS NO PROBLEM THERE.

REMEMBER, YOU HAVE VERY HOT JUICE HERE.

AND AS SOON AS THE JUICE WILL TOUCH IT, THAT'S IT.

IT WILL FINISH COOKING IT.

SO HERE, I'M PULLING IT OFF THE BONE OF THE CARCASS HERE.

AND NOW IF THE FISH WAS TOTALLY COOKED, IT WOULD SEPARATE NICELY FROM THE CARCASS.

AND AS YOU SAID, AGAIN, IN THE CENTER IT'S CATCHING A LITTLE BIT HERE.

MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE ALL OF YOUR BONE REMOVED.

OKAY.

AND THIS, I'M GOING TO PUT SOME BUTTER, WHICH SHOULD EMULSIFY RIGHT THROUGH THE JUICE.

SO ABOUT 2 TABLESPOON OF BUTTER AND A COUPLE OF TABLESPOON OF A GOOD OLIVE OIL THERE.

YOU WANT SOMETHING OF HIGH QUALITY.

YOU WANT TO EMULSIFY IT.

MAKE IT NICE, BEAUTIFUL, CREAMY STOCK.

SEE, THIS IS THE ADVANTAGE OF THAT RECIPE.

YOU HAVE A NAGE COURTE, THAT IF YOU HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF LIQUID, YOU CAN COVER THE MESS THAT YOU MADE, THAT I MADE.

MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF PARSLEY OR CHIVES OR WATERCRESS HERE.

AND THIS IS OUR NAGE COURTE OF STRIPED BASS.

AND NOW I'M GOING TO MAKE FOR YOU A CODFISH IN OLIVE AND HORSERADISH SAUCE.

AND I HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FILET OF COD HERE.

A BIT OF THE SAME FAMILY THAN THE HADDOCK THAT I USE BEFORE.

YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IS RELATIVE WHEN YOU COOK FISH TO THE THICKNESS OF THE FISH, SO THE TIME OF COOKING WILL CHANGE.

THIS IS REALLY A NICE PIECE OF FISH.

AND I'M GOING TO COOK IT WITH WHITE WINE AND ONION.

HERE IT IS.

AND WHITE WINE.

AT LEAST A TABLESPOON, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE.

WHEN YOU USE WHITE WINE, YOU NEVER KNOW, YOU KNOW, THINGS MAY HAPPEN, SO YOU HAVE TO TASTE IT.

YEAH, THAT'S GOOD.

THIS IS A DRY, A DRY GEWURZTRAMINER, SO IT'S VERY FRUITY BUT DRY.

SO SALT AND PEPPER IN THERE.

AND MY FOUR FILET OF FISH.

THAT'S ALL THERE IS.

HERE.

AND PEPPER.

COVER IT, AND THAT WILL COOK DEPENDING ON THE THICKNESS OF THE FISH THAT I SEE HERE, PROBABLY FOUR OR FIVE MINUTES, DEPENDING, OF COURSE, HOW YOU LIKE YOUR FISH.

I LIKE MINE SLIGHTLY RARE IN THE CENTER.

NOW I'M GOING TO FLAVOR THAT WITH-- I HAVE HORSERADISH HERE.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE FRESH ONE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN USE THE JAR HORSERADISH.

MY FRIEND, JEAN-CLAUDE BRING ME HORSERADISH BECAUSE HE HAVE SOME IN HIS GARDEN, WHICH IS THAT BIG.

SO I HAVE HORSERADISH.

I'M GOING TO HAVE CAPERS IN IT.

I'M GOING TO HAVE OLIVE, AND THOSE OLIVE ARE ACTUALLY PITTED.

IF YOU WANT TO PIT THE OLIVE, YOU KNOW, ALL YOU DO YOU JUST CRACK THEM LIKE THAT.

YOU KNOW, CRACK THEM WITH YOUR, OR WITH YOUR HAND, CRACK THEM LIKE THIS.

AND AFTER YOU CRACK THEM, THE PIT COMES OUT, YOU KNOW?

VERY EASILY.

THOSE ARE ALL CURED OLIVE.

SEE, THE FISH HERE IS COOKING.

I THINK I'M GOING TO FLIP IT OVER.

I CAN SEE THAT IT'S NICE AND WHITE ONE SIDE, BUT TOTALLY RAW.

BUT IT HOLD IT SHAPE.

REMEMBER THAT THE COD, YOU'LL SEE WHEN IT COOK, WILL FLAKE VERY EASILY.

OKAY.

STILL COOKING IT, AND YOU NEED THAT AMOUNT OF COOKING ANYWAY TO TAKE THE ACIDITY OUT OF THE WINE.

ALL I HAVE TO DO NOW IS WAIT WITH MY WINE.

OKAY.

LET'S TASTE THE FISH.

YOU SEE, I CAN SEE THE CENTER IS STILL SLIGHTLY UNDERDONE, BUT I THINK I WOULD DO IT THIS WAY.

REMEMBER, ALSO, ONE THING.

SOMETIME, YOU KNOW, YOU DO A PARTY.

LET'S SAY YOU DO A PARTY FOR 20, AND YOU HAVE THIS.

WELL, YOU HAVE TO KEEP IT WARM WHILE YOU ARE SERVING THE FIRST COURSE.

ALL OF THAT HAS TO BE ENTERED INTO CONSIDERATION, SO SOMETIME I MAY DO A PIECE OF FISH THAT'S BASICALLY QUITE RAW IN THE CENTER.

I LEAVE IT IN THE SIDE.

ON THE RESIDUE HEAT, IT WILL CONTINUE COOKING SLOWLY BECAUSE I NEED 15-20 MINUTES SERVING A FIRST COURSE OR WHATEVER.

SO ALL OF THAT HAS TO BE CALCULATED, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU DO A PARTY.

OR EVEN AT HOME WHEN YOU DO A-- WHEN YOU COOK AT HOME.

SO LET'S SEE HERE.

AS I SAID, THIS BREAKS VERY EASILY.

VERY TENDER FISH.

VERY FLAKY AND VERY DELICIOUS.

COD IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES, CERTAINLY.

I COULD COVER THAT WITH, EVEN WITH THIS, AND LEAVE IT ON THE SIDE.

JUST TO KEEP IT WARM FOR A SECOND.

WHILE YOU'RE CONTINUING THE SAUCE.

SO HERE I HAVE THE CAPERS.

ACIDITY.

OLIVES.

MY HORSERADISH.

THAT REALLY GIVE IT A ZIP, YOU KNOW?

AND HERE, I HAVE A COUPLE OF TABLESPOON OF THE SOUR CREAM.

YOU WANT TO BRING THAT TO A BOIL.

YOU WANT TO TASTE IT.

PRETTY ACIDIC.

YOU KNOW, THE ACIDITY OF THE WINE AND, OF COURSE, OF THE CAPERS, AND THAT WILL CUT ON THE RICHNESS OF THIS CILANTRO.

I LOVE CILANTRO.

PEOPLE LOVE CILANTRO OR HATE CILANTRO.

IT'S ONE OR THE OTHER.

THERE IS NO MIDDLE GROUND.

SO WE'LL PUT A LITTLE BIT IN THERE.

I'M GOING TO STOP RIGHT THERE.

THIS IS STILL HOT.

IF THERE IS ANY LIQUID WHICH COMES OUT, YOU KNOW.

ALWAYS ADD YOUR LIQUID.

YOU SHOULD EAT THAT WITH A SPOON BECAUSE IT'S LIKE A BROTH, YOU KNOW, THE MIXTURE AROUND.

MAYBE A TINY BIT OF EXCESS CILANTRO.

AND HERE WE ARE.

THE CODFISH IN OLIVE AND HORSERADISH SAUCE.

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU COOK, YOU GIVE A LOT OF YOURSELF.

AND YOU GIVE THAT USUALLY TO THE PEOPLE THAT YOU FEED, WHICH ARE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU LOVE.

I MEAN, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR FRIENDS.

SO YOU SHOULD DO THAT OFTEN.

I MEAN, EVERY DAY.

HAPPY COOKING.

- OH!

[upbeat string music] ♪ ♪ Captioning by CaptionMax www.captionmax.com - HAPPY COOKING.