Brandade de Morue

Place the salt cod skin-side up in a large bowl or deep baking dish and cover with cold water. Refrigerate for 24 hours, changing the water at least 3 times — every 6–8 hours is ideal. The water will turn white and cloudy each time, carrying away the curing salt. After the final soak, taste a thin flake from the thickest part: it should taste pleasantly salty, like a well-seasoned fish, not briny or harsh. If it is still harsh, soak 2 more hours.

Place the desalted cod in a wide pan and cover with fresh cold water. Add the thyme. Bring slowly to a bare simmer — tiny bubbles rising at the edges, the water trembling but not boiling. Poach for 10–12 minutes. Do not boil: boiling at this stage firms the protein into a tough, rubbery slab and breaks the fine flakes. The cod is done when it flakes easily along its natural seams when prodded with a fork. Lift out, discard the poaching water, and let it cool enough to handle.

Remove all skin and bones from the cod — run your fingers carefully through the flakes to find every pin bone. Place the cod and raw garlic in a mortar and pound to a paste, or pulse in a food processor. The goal is to break the fish down into a fine, cohesive mass that will absorb the oil and milk. Do not process to a completely smooth paste yet — a slightly grainy, textured base is correct at this stage. The garlic should be fully incorporated and invisible.

With the cod paste in the mortar or a bowl set over gentle heat (or in a stand mixer with paddle), begin adding the warm olive oil in a thin, slow stream, working it in constantly — exactly like making a mayonnaise. When half the oil is incorporated, add a tablespoon of warm milk. Alternate oil and milk until both are fully incorporated. The brandade will transform from a dense paste to a smooth, fluffy, ivory-white emulsion that is light enough to scoop but rich enough to mound. Season with white pepper and lemon juice. Taste: it should be salty, rich, faintly fishy, and deeply satisfying.