Smoked Haddock Kedgeree

Prep Time: 0:20

Cook Time: 0:20

Serves: 4

Ingredients / Shopping List

450g smoked haddock

100ml milk

25g butter

250g long grain rice

1 tblsp rapeseed oil

1 onion

50g frozen peas

250ml vegetable stock

Ground black pepper

Sea salt

Pinch curry powder

Optional: soft boiled egg

Spring of fresh thyme

Chopped fresh coriander leaves

1 egg (optional)

Prep to Cook: Foil, cooking dish, knife, wooden spoon, saucepan, measuring jug, sieve, chopping board and knife, serving dish

Prep:

Two tasks to complete: a) cook the rice b) cook the fish

Cooking the rice:

Peel, slice and dice the onion very finely

Fry this off in a little oil with the curry powder until it softens but does not brown

Wash the rice in a sieve and drain

Prepare the vegetable stock using concentrated stock or a cube

Put the stock in a saucepan and bring to the boil

Add the rice, sprig of thyme and seasoning and simmer for 15 – 20 mins

Meanwhile place the haddock in foil and add a knob of butter and milk

Wrap and place in the oven or in the microwave

Cook in the oven for 16 minutes (180C⁰C or Gas Mark 4)

Cook in a microwave dish covered with cling film for about 6 minutes

Stir the rice and add the peas and more stock if necessary.

The rice should be moist and soft when ready

Stir in the steamed haddock to flake up the fish

Serve with a soft boiled egg and chopped coriander

The soft boiled egg is a perfect topping in terms of flavour and texture and is well worth the effort. Immerse an egg in boiling water and cook for 4 minutes. Plunge into cold water and carefully remove the shell. Pop onto the Haddock Kedgeree and serve.

Check it out!

Kedgeree is a historic dish! It was made in Victorian times as an exciting breakfast dish. Today it is simply a great way to have a light tasty fish meal that is easy to prepare in two distinct steps dealing with the fish and then the rice.

Recipe Science

Cooks Know How: Poaching the haddock wrapped in foil with a little butter and milk makes the fish muscle flake and fall apart. The milk becomes flavoured and can be added to the rice. The fish can be cooked and wrapped and stored in the refrigerator, if you want to prepare it in advance. The rice mixture needs plenty of flavour to match the fish. Add stock to the cooking water of the rice, also plenty of seasoning and a sprig of thyme. Boil the rice gently until it is softened. Rice is pure starch and during the boiling the starch grains swell. They absorb water and keep on doing so, that is why you need to stir and adjust the liquid if it appears to be going too dry. Test the rice by biting a grain between your front teeth and seeing if it is tender and not gritty in the centre. Gelatiniasation of starch is the scientific process that is seen in action as the rice is cooked. It makes the rice easier to digest. Once the rice is cooked the fish can be stirred gently through the rice and served immediately sprinkled with chopped coriander, and the egg if you want.