Kedgeree
Kedgeree is a delicately spiced dish of rice, smoked fish, boiled eggs, butter, and herbs. My version is made with brown rice and (hot-smoked) smoked mackerel instead of the more traditional smoked haddock. It also includes peas to sweeten it up a little, and when I say delicately spiced, it is rather subtle...though really quite gorgeous.
It surprises me that kedgeree and fried rice, which I will come to in a few weeks time, are both breakfast dishes. Both make excellent as suppers, though kedgeree would make a wonderful luncheon too. The major difference between the two, apart from the spicing, is that with kedgeree you are merely heating the rice through.
Serves 3 as a main supper dish; 4 as a breakfast dish or as part of a Bennet & Luck-type salad (though it's not vegan or even vegetarian); 6 as part of an elaborate breakfast menu.
Ingredients
1 cup brown rice (brown basmati for preference)
25g butter, plus up to 50g more as required
1 onion, finely chopped
1 fat clove of garlic, shredded or crushed
a similar amount of root ginger, peeled and shredded
1/2 - 1 chilli (optional), finely sliced
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
salt, to taste
3 eggs, hardboiled
2/3 cup frozen peas, cooked
2 smallish fillets of smoked mackerel
a good handful of parsley, chopped
Method
1.
Boil the rice as directed on the pack (or for 22 minutes in lightly salted water until tender). Drain and rinse it with boiling water.
Cook the peas till they are tender. Drain.
Hard-boil the eggs, then shell them.
2.
Fry the onion in butter over a medium heat for a few minutes till it softens. Add the garlic, ginger, and chilli (if using), stir them in, then let them cook for another minute.
3.
Make a clearing in the centre and add your spices. Spread them out so they can cook for a minute or so before incorporating them into the onions.
4.
Add the rice and combine it gently the onions. The aim isn't to fry the rice; it's simply to heat it through. Add more butter if the rice looks dry.
5.
Add the cooked peas and the eggs, which have been chopped but not too finely. You want distinct pieces of yolks and whites in the finished dish.
6.
Now add the smoked mackerel, torn into bite sized chunks. Gently mix to combine everything, then remove the pan from the heat and stir in most of the chopped parsley, reserving a little as garnish for the dish.
If you like, serve with lemon wedges for squeezing (totally optional).
Any questions? You can use the comments form at the bottom of the page.
Did you know?
You'll find recipes at the back of all the books in the Send for Octavius Guy series: