Long before Monaco was a byword for yachts and a harbor full of racing cars, it was a small Catholic fishing and farming town, and its Christmas dinner showed it. The Principality's own accounts of that meal describe an enormous brandamincium at its heart: salt cod pounded with garlic, oil and cream, set beside cardoons in white sauce, with barbagiuan fritters and anise scented fougasse to follow. Brandamincium is Monaco's name, in its own dialect, for a close cousin of the brandade of Provence.

Salt cod sounds austere, and for centuries it was the thrifty fish of fast days and long winters. Treated with patience it becomes something else entirely: soaked until mild, poached until it just flakes, then beaten with warm oil and cream into a purée as light as whipped potato. The cardoons, a silvery Mediterranean relative of the artichoke, bring a gentle bitterness that keeps all that richness honest. It is a dish that rewards planning more than skill, which is a fair description of most Monaco weekends.

Soaking the salt cod

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb (680 g) thick boneless salt cod
• plenty cold water

Method

1. Rinse the cod under cold running water to wash off the surface salt. Put it in the large bowl, skin side up if it has skin, and cover it with at least 3 inches (8 cm) of cold water. Cover the bowl and put it in the fridge.
2. Every 8 hours or so, pour off the water and replace it with fresh cold water. Do this 3 or 4 times over 24 to 36 hours.

Cardoons in white sauce

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 lb (1.1 kg) cardoon stalks
• 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons (15 g) all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon fine salt
• 3 tablespoons (45 g) unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons (25 g) all purpose flour
• 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
• a few gratings nutmeg
• to taste salt and white pepper
• 2 tablespoons (10 g) finely grated Parmesan

Method

1. Fill a bowl with cold water and squeeze in half the lemon. Cut off and discard the leaves and the thin outer stalks. With the vegetable peeler, strip the stringy ribs from the outside of each stalk, as you would celery. Cut the stalks into 3 inch (8 cm) lengths and drop them into the lemon water straight away so they do not darken.
2. Fill the large saucepan with 3 quarts (3 liters) of water. Whisk in the 2 tablespoons of flour and the tablespoon of salt, squeeze in the other lemon half and drop it in. Bring to a boil, add the drained cardoons and simmer, partly covered, for 30 to 45 minutes. The flour and lemon keep them pale.
3. While the cardoons cook, melt the butter in the medium saucepan over medium low heat, whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes without letting it color. Pour in the warm milk a little at a time, whisking constantly, then simmer for 8 minutes, whisking often. Season with nutmeg, salt and white pepper.
4. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Drain the cardoons well, arrange them in the ovenproof dish and pour the sauce over them. Sprinkle with Parmesan if you like. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

The brandamincium

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb (680 g) soaked salt cod
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) mild extra virgin olive oil
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
• to taste freshly ground white or black pepper
• a few gratings nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
• 12 slices baguette, toasted and rubbed with garlic

Method

1. Drain the soaked cod and put it in the wide saucepan with the bay leaf and thyme. Cover with cold water, bring it slowly to a bare simmer over medium heat, then turn the heat to low and keep it just trembling for 8 to 10 minutes. Never let it boil, or the fish will turn rubbery.
2. Lift the cod out with the slotted spoon and let it cool for 5 minutes. Pull it into flakes with your fingers, removing every bit of skin and any small bones you find.
3. Crush the garlic cloves to a paste with a pinch of salt using the flat of your knife. Put the olive oil and the garlic paste in a small saucepan over low heat. Put the cream in another small saucepan. Warm both until they are hot to the touch but not bubbling, about 3 minutes.
4. Put the warm cod flakes in the mixer bowl with the paddle, or in a sturdy bowl. Beat on low speed, or with the wooden spoon, while you trickle in the warm garlic oil a spoonful at a time. Wait until each addition disappears before adding the next.
5. Keep beating while you add the warm cream in the same way, a little at a time. Stop when the purée is light and holds soft peaks; you may not need every drop. Season with lemon juice, pepper and nutmeg, and taste before adding any salt.
6. Brandamincium is served warm. If it has cooled, set the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and stir for 3 to 4 minutes. Pile it into a warm dish, swirl the top with a spoon and scatter with parsley.

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