Smoked Haddock Kedgeree
Charlotte Pike
Having tried dozens of kedgeree recipes, I think this one is the best. It’s rich, spicy and surprisingly complex in flavour and adapted from the recipe in Leith’s Fish Bible. Make sure you taste and adjust the seasoning once everything is assembled, as I think it often needs a bit more salt at the very end.
Serves 4
Ingredients
250g Basmati rice (use white or brown, but white is much quicker to cook)
125g butter
1 medium white onion, peeled and finely chopped
5cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 large green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
2 large whole fillets natural smoked haddock, skin removed and cut into 3cm chunks
1 heaped tsp turmeric
1 heaped tsp good quality curry powder (choose your preferred heat)
Sea salt
Lemon wedges to serve
Fresh coriander to serve (optional)
Method
Start by boiling the rice according to pack instructions.
Whilst the rice is cooking, place half of the butter into a separate large frying pan and melt over a moderate heat. Add the onion and cook for around 5 minutes, until it softens and becomes translucent. Be sure to keep the heat under control so that the onion does not colour.
Then, add the ginger, chilli and fish and cook for a further 5 minutes. The fish will start to cook in the butter.
Put the eggs on to boil in a separate pan. Bring to the boil and cook for 7 minutes, then drain.
Add the spices to the pan with the fish, and stir fry to cook the spices. Continue to cook until the fish is cooked though. It will flake into smaller pieces as it cooks, so stir gently so as not to break it up completely.
By this time, the Basmati rice should be cooked. Spoon the rice into the pan with the fish and add the rest of the butter. Stir gently, but thoroughly, to ensure the rice is evenly coated in the spicy butter.
Peel the eggs now and cut them in half. Give the kedgeree a final stir, season and adjust accordingly. It may need a bit more salt, it may need a bit more butter if it’s on the dry side, or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Serve on warmed plates with more lemon wedges and fresh coriander for some extra colour.