PROVENCAL SALT COD WITH POTATO PUREE
Inspired By: Provencal Salt Cod with Potato Puree by Martha Rose Shulman in Fine Cooking

Ingredients:

1 lb. salt cod, soaked and patted dry
2 medium onions, quartered
7 large cloves garlic, 3 halved and 4 minced
2 PureSpice ® bay leaves
12 oz. waxy potatoes, peeled and quartered
2/3 cup milk
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
3/4 tsp. PureSpice ® Provencal salt
PureSpice ® Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1.Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a small dish. In a medium saucepan, combine 2 quarts water with the onions, garlic and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, add the salt cod and cover tightly. Turn off the heat and let the fish sit in the water just until it can be pulled apart with a fork, usually 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the fish from the water and set the water aside for cooking the potatoes. When the fish is cool enough to handle, pick out any bones and remove any skin. Flake the fish by using a fork or wooden spoon. Transfer to a food processor.
2.Meanwhile, simmer the potatoes until very tender in the water in which you cooked the fish. Drain the potatoes and mash with a hand masher or ricer. Add 1/3 cup of the milk and 1/4 cup of the olive oil to the potatoes and combine well. Set aside.
3.In a saucepan, heat another 1/4 cup of the oil over medium low and add the minced garlic. The instant the garlic begins to sizzle, remove the pan from the heat. Add the garlic and oil, along with the salt, to the salt cod in the processor. Combine the remaining 1/3 cup milk and 1/4 cup oil. Turn on the processor and add the milk and olive oil mixture in a slow stream.Continue to process until the mixture is fluffy. Add the salt cod puree to the potato mixture and fold to combine well. Season with pepper. Spoon the mixture into the gratin dish, drizzle with 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil and bake until the top begins to brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
4.Serve hot.