FARE EXCHANGE
Jump to recipe
Brandade soup with mussels
Traditionally, brandade is a purée of salt cod, potatoes and olive oil. Chef Colin Fassnidge from Four in Hand has given it a modern twist with salt-cured bream.
“I’d love to have a go at making Colin Fassnidge’s flavour-filled bream brandade at home. I first tried it at his Four in Hand pub in Sydney’s Paddington and loved the texture of the mussels and chickpeas, which lifted the soup from a starter into more of a meal.”
Jenny Schmidt, Potts Point, NSW
Request a recipe
To request a recipe, write to Fare Exchange, Australian Gourmet Traveller, GPO Box 4088, Sydney, NSW 2001, or email us. All requests should include the restaurant’s name and address or business card, as well as your name and address.
Search for similar recipes...
Brandade soup with mussels
Serves
4
Cooking Time
Prep time 20 mins, cook 50 mins (plus curing)
|
20 gm
|
butter, coarsely chopped
|
|
1
|
onion, finely chopped
|
|
1
|
Desiree potato, finely chopped
|
|
2
|
garlic cloves, finely chopped
|
|
300 ml
|
dry white wine
|
|
500 ml
|
(2 cups) chicken stock
|
|
300 ml
|
pouring cream
|
|
½
|
lemon, juice only (or to taste)
|
|
12
|
black mussels (about 400gm), scrubbed
|
|
1 tbsp
|
extra-virgin olive oil
|
|
80 gm
|
drained canned chickpeas, rinsed
|
|
¼ tsp
|
smoked sweet paprika
|
| Salt-cured bream |
|
1
|
skinless bream fillet (170gm), bones removed
|
|
80 gm
|
rock salt
|
|
2
|
garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
|
|
1 tsp
|
thyme leaves
|
|
1
|
fresh bay leaf
|
|
1
|
lemon, finely grated rind only
|
|
1 tsp
|
coarsely ground black pepper
|
|
1
|
For salt-cured bream, place fish in a non-reactive dish. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl, scatter over fish, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until lightly cured, turning occasionally (5 hours). Wipe salt from fish with absorbent paper, cut into 3cm pieces and set aside.
|
|
2
|
Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat until foaming, add onion, potato and garlic, sauté until starting to soften (5-7 minutes). Add 200ml wine, reduce by half (2-3 minutes), add stock, cream and fish, bring to a simmer over low heat and cook until potato and fish are tender (25-30 minutes). Blend until smooth in a blender, season to taste with lemon juice and keep warm.
|
|
3
|
Meanwhile, heat a saucepan over high heat, add mussels and remaining wine and cook, covered, until mussels open, shaking pan occasionally (3-5 minutes). Remove any unopened mussels and discard. Remove meat from remaining mussels (discard shell and liquid) and keep warm.
|
|
4
|
Meanwhile, heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add chickpeas and paprika, stir occasionally until warm (2-3 minutes), season to taste and add mussels. Divide soup among bowls, top with mussels and chickpeas and serve hot, drizzled with paprika oil.
|
This recipe is from the September 2009 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.
RECIPE Colin Fassnidge, Four in Hand, Sydney
PHOTOGRAPHY Chris Chen
STYLING Emma Knowles
|
Missed an edition of Gourmet Traveller?
Access our back issues from as far back as June 2010 at the tap of your finger, catch up on our latest issue or subscribe now by downloading the Gourmet Traveller iPad app today.
Visit the iTunes store
|
|
|