← Nouns Cooking · French

Ingredients

• 600 g salt cod (or fresh cod fillet)
• 2 Bay leaves
• 3 sprigs Thyme
• 750 g small waxy potatoes, scrubbed
• 6 Carrot, peeled, halved if large
• 300 g Green beans, trimmed
• 1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
• 6 eggs
• 8 cloves garlic cloves, for the aïoli
• 2 egg yolks, for the aïoli
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 300 ml mild olive oil
• Salt
• 1 lemon, in wedges, to serve

Method

1. If using salt cod, soak it in cold water in the fridge for 24 hours, changing the water 3 or 4 times; taste a flake to check it is no longer too salty.
2. Make the aïoli: pound the garlic with a pinch of salt to a smooth paste (a pestle and mortar is best). Stir in the yolks, then add the oil drop by drop, whisking, until it starts to thicken; then pour in a thin stream until thick and glossy. Add the lemon juice and chill.
3. Boil the potatoes in salted water for 15–20 min and the carrots for 10–12 min until tender; steam or boil the beans and cauliflower for 4–5 min so they keep some bite.
4. Hard-boil the eggs for 9 min, cool in cold water and peel.
5. Put the cod in a pan of cold water with the bay and thyme, bring just to a simmer and poach gently for 8 min until it flakes. Drain.
6. Arrange the cod, halved eggs and vegetables on a big platter with lemon wedges and the bowl of aïoli in the middle. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips

• The aïoli contains raw egg yolk, so use very fresh eggs and avoid serving it to pregnant women, small children or anyone vulnerable.
• If the aïoli splits, whisk a fresh yolk in a clean bowl and slowly beat the split mixture into it.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Great British Chefs The Modern Proper