Cod Brandade Ramen
Brandade is one of those preparations that sounds fancier than it is, which is a generous quality in a recipe. You take salt cod, you beat it with olive oil and garlic until it becomes this pale, silky paste, and then you use it for everything from toast points at a dinner party to a weeknight gratin to, apparently, ramen. Portugal takes bacalhau, their name for salt cod, extremely seriously, and they have several hundred ways to prepare it, which is either inspiring or exhausting depending on your relationship with fish. This version uses fresh cod because it's faster, but the spirit of the brandade, that emulsified olive oil richness stirred into the broth at the end, is fully present and fully the point.
Cod dissolves in oil—saffron turns the broth to gold—Lisbon on the tongue
Let Me Tell You...
Portugal is so committed to salt cod that they claim to have 365 ways to cook it, one for every day of the year, which either inspired this website's name or is a coincidence I'm choosing to lean into.
Brandade is one of the most elegant of those preparations, a slow emulsification of oil and fish that ends up tasting like something that required much more effort than it actually did.
It's the kind of dish that makes people ask what restaurant you ordered it from, which is what you want when you've been in the kitchen for forty-five minutes.
Strong grassy olive oil will overpower the cod's delicate flavor.
Saffron in the broth is not a Portuguese classic move, but it makes the broth golden and gives it a faint floral quality that pairs better with fish than any other spice I've tried in this context.
Add it to the hot broth and let it steep for five minutes before you taste it.
Saffron needs time to release its color and flavor, and adding more because it doesn't taste like anything yet is how you end up with a bowl that tastes medicinal.
This avoids bitterness from overexposure to direct heat.
The brandade cream comes together in five minutes if your garlic is already minced and you have a blender or food processor.
You cook a small portion of the cod separately, mash it with olive oil and roasted garlic until smooth, and then thin it with a little warm milk.
That spoonful in the center of the bowl is what transforms the texture from clear soup into something that feels finished.
Don't add cold liquid or it will seize up.
The crispy capers on top are the thing that might seem unnecessary and aren't.
They add salt and texture at exactly the right moment, a little pop between the silky broth and the soft cod.
You could skip them.
You'd notice they were missing.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dried ramen noodles (2 bricks, seasoning packets discarded)
- 1 lb fresh cod fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces (divided: 12 oz for broth, 4 oz for brandade)
- 4 cups low-sodium fish or vegetable broth
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
- 5 tablespoons good-quality olive oil, divided
- 6 cloves garlic (4 minced for broth, 2 roasted for brandade)
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tablespoons warm whole milk or heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and patted dry
- Neutral oil for frying capers
- Kosher salt and white pepper, to taste
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (for garnish)
Preparation
- Roast 2 garlic cloves: wrap in foil with a drizzle of olive oil and roast at 400F for 20 minutes until soft, or microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel for 1 minute. Set aside.
- Fry capers: Heat a thin layer of neutral oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add patted-dry capers and fry for 2-3 minutes until they pop open and crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Make the broth: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add shallot and minced garlic and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Add broth, water, bay leaf, and saffron. Bring to a simmer and steep for 5 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper.
- Make the brandade cream: In a small saucepan, poach the reserved 4 oz cod in 1 cup of the broth over medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes until just cooked. Transfer cod to a blender or food processor. Add roasted garlic, remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, and warm milk. Blend until smooth and silky. Season with salt. Set aside.
- Poach the remaining cod: Gently add cod pieces to the simmering broth. Poach over medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes until just opaque and barely flaking. Remove bay leaf.
- Bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil. Cook ramen noodles for 2-3 minutes until just tender. Drain and divide between serving bowls.
- Ladle broth and poached cod pieces over noodles. Spoon a dollop of brandade cream into the center of each bowl. Top with fried capers, chopped parsley, and any other optional toppings. Serve immediately.