Brandade

Method

1. The day before, rinse 100 g of salt cod under cold running water to wash off the surface salt, then put it skin side up in a deep bowl, cover generously with cold water and refrigerate for 24 hours, changing the water 3 or 4 times. It is ready when a corner tastes seasoned but not salty.
2. Peel 120 g of floury potato, cut it into even 3 cm chunks and put it into a small pan of cold salted water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15-18 minutes, until a knife slides through with no resistance. Drain, return to the dry pan over low heat for 1 minute to steam off, then mash or pass through a ricer and keep warm.
3. Drain the cod, lay it in a small pan, cover with fresh cold water and add the bay leaf. Bring slowly to the point where the water just shivers, then poach for 8 minutes without ever letting it boil, or the flesh will toughen. Lift out, and while still hot pull off the skin and pick out every bone, flaking the flesh coarsely.