Ligurian creamed stockfish (BRANDACUJUN)
Brandacujun, also called Ligurian creamed stockfish, is a typical dish from the Riviera di Ponente based on simple, genuine ingredients: stockfish, potatoes, pine nuts, parsley, extra virgin olive oil and Taggiasca olives.
Many legends surround its strange name.
The first part (branda) derives from the method of preparation: the pot in which the dish is made must be “branded,” that is, shaken vigorously so that the ingredients mix and break down without becoming mushy.
The second part of the name (cujun) is the one that has generated the most conjecture and stories.
Many maintain it comes from the fact that the task of shaking the pot to blend the fish and potatoes was entrusted to the “cujun” of the group — the least clever family member who had no other job or could not do anything else.
Legends aside, this dish is extraordinary in its simplicity, perfect both as an appetizer in a seafood menu and as a main course.
It is one of my husband’s favorite dishes; in fact I would say it is his absolute favorite and for this reason I make it very often.
I must say I like it too, even though I’m not a lover of stockfish — perhaps because I love potato salads and this is one of the many possible variations.
At the bottom of the recipe you will find tips and, above all, the super-fast version with a secret ingredient.
Ligurian creamed stockfish (BRANDACUJUN)
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4 SERVINGS
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 373.84 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 28.41 (g) of which sugars 1.55 (g)
- Proteins 47.86 (g)
- Fat 8.69 (g) of which saturated 0.97 (g)of which unsaturated 4.87 (g)
- Fibers 3.75 (g)
- Sodium 409.26 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 200 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE BRANDACUJUN
- 2.2 lbs stockfish (rehydrated)
- 1 1/3 lbs potatoes
- 1 bunch parsley
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 oz pine nuts (about 1/4 cup)
- salt (not always necessary, taste first)
- 1 pinch pepper (freshly ground)
- to taste Taggiasca olives
HOW TO PREPARE BRANDACUJUN
Soak the stockfish for 48 hours, changing the water often; alternatively, use stockfish that has already been rehydrated. Rinse the stockfish and cut it into pieces. Do the same with the potatoes: peel them and cut them roughly into pieces.
Boil the potatoes and the stockfish separately in unsalted water. The stockfish should cook for about 10 minutes while the potatoes for 30–35 minutes (they should be soft but not falling apart), counting time from when the water starts to boil.
Drain the potatoes, then return them to the pot and mash them with a fork — they should not become a purée, just reduced to small pieces. Remove the stockfish from the pot, discard the skin and any bones, and flake it. Put the stockfish into the pot with the potatoes, adjust salt if necessary, add a pinch of pepper, the olive oil, a few chopped Taggiasca olives and the parsley previously chopped with the garlic and pine nuts.
Return to the heat and let everything absorb the flavors, shaking the pot vigorously with its lid on. Add a drizzle of oil now and then to help with the creaming. Finish with a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley and serve warm on toasted bread slices.
STORAGE
Brandacujun can be kept in the refrigerator for 2–3 days. Freezing is not recommended.
BRANDACUJUN RECIPE VARIATIONS
STOCKFISH: Instead of stockfish you can also use baccalà (cod dried and preserved in salt), which makes the dish milder.
QUICK, REBELLIOUS VERSION: There is also a super-fast version that eliminates the soaking and preparation time for the stockfish by using an unexpected ingredient: canned cod preserved in oil.
Believe me, I’ve tried it more than once and I assure you the result is not bad. Just drain it from the preserving oil and flake it into the pot with the potatoes and the other ingredients to cream it.
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For an all-seafood menu you might also prepare Risotto with Scampi Cream
TIPS
You can also cook the potatoes and the stockfish together. I prefer to cook them separately so I can clean the fish of bones and skin more carefully.
To obtain a homogeneous mixture, you must shake the pot vigorously so that the fish and potatoes flake and blend together.
NOTES
The ratio between stockfish and potatoes is 2:1. This gives a good texture and preserves the flavor of the stockfish. You can serve Brandacujun with toasted bread, Taggiasca olives and toasted pine nuts. In some versions of the recipe, baccalà is used as an alternative to stockfish.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STOCCAFISSO AND BACCALÀ?
In both cases it’s cod, but the preservation method differs. STOCCAFISSO is air-dried in cold air, while BACCALÀ is preserved in salt. Regardless of the preservation method, before using either ingredient it must be soaked, or purchased already soaked.
