This is an “Up-North” play on traditional brandade, a Mediterranian dish which combines salt cod, potatoes, cream, olive oil and garlic in to a luscious spread. Here smoked lake trout is substituted for the salt cod to make the spread slightly less salty and a bit smoky.

I usually see brandade served with toast or pita. I have started pairing it with planks of kohlrabi and cucumber. The crisp coolness of these two vegetables plays off the warm richness of the brandade to balance the whole lot.

• 1 lb Yukon gold potato, washed
• 1 lb smoked lake trout, skin and bones removed
• 2 C cream
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ C olive oil
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• salt to taste

1. Tie the herbs together with butcher’s twine
2. Cut the potatoes into 1 inch chunks
3. In a large, deep pan combine the potatoes, cream, herbs and a big pinch of salt and black pepper and warm gently over medium heat
4. Cook the potatoes in the cream until they are cooked through and break easily when pushed with the back of a spoon
5. Remove from the heat
6. Add the lake trout and garlic and let sit together for about 10 minutes
7. Remove the herbs
8. In either a food processor or a mixer with a paddle attachment, blend the mixture until it is smooth while drizzling in the olive oil
9. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired
10. Transfer to a heat proof dish (I like using 4oz jelly jars for individual servings)
11. Before serving rewarm until hot (some olive oil may split and bubble, that’s ok)
12. Serve with kohlrabi and cucumbers cut into 3 inch planks for dipping