Smoked Haddock Kedgeree

www.shropshirebreakfast.co.uk

I've been making this kedgeree for family supper for many years. It originally came from a cooking magazine but has been changed enough over the years for me to call it my own. In fact it was the one of the first dishes my daughter learned to cook herself.

It works well and is popular for breakfast at the B&B. Though, if you are having it for breakfast, never eat it accompanied by a cup of coffee only tea. Coffee & curry does something very peculiar to the taste buds in my experience.

Traditional kedgeree will have boiled eggs in it. Mind doesn't cos I don't like boiled eggs. If you want to include them then just add quartered boiled eggs in at the same time as the fish. I prefer to serve mine with a poached egg on top. Kedgeree is a dry dish so the runny yolk of the poached egg adds an instant sauce.

You need a medium sized saucepan that will go in the oven with a tight fitting lid.

Ingredients

1 large fillet of undyed smoked haddock
basmati rice measured to 9fl oz in a measuring jug
16 fl oz of vegetable stock
1 tsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbs butter
1 sliced onion
1 tbs curry powder
Fresh coriander - about 1 tbs chopped
4 poached eggs ( see how I cook poached eggs earlier in the blog here )
Lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 170 degrees C ( for a fan oven )

In a large frying pan heat the oil on high and add the cumin seeds, stirring for a few seconds.

Reduce the heat to low and add the butter & the sliced onion. Cook the onion for at least 10 minutes on a low heat until it is softened but you don't want it too coloured.

Add the curry powder and stir till it is well mixed in with the butter & onion. Then add the rice, stirring again till it is all thoroughly coated in buttery curry juices.

Turn the heat up and add the stock, stir well. When the stock is boiling, stir again and then put on the lid. Put in the oven for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile get a large pan of water to a fast simmer for the fish ( or do in the microwave if you prefer ).

When the 25 minutes it up take the rice out of the oven but don't take off the lid. Leave for 7 minutes. Poach the haddock for 4-5 minutes. Carefully remove the skin & flake the fish into big chunks.

When the 7 minutes is up, take the lid off the saucepan, fluff up the rice then add the chopped coriander & haddock and stir through carefully.

Put into 4 warm serving bowls, top with the poached egg & serve with a wedge of lemon.

Scrambled Eggs & Smoked Salmon

www.shropshirebreakfast.co.uk

After the full English this is probably one of the most requested dishes at my B&B. There are several ways of cooking it but I've finally settled on this one. It's a creamy concoction of eggs, with the Salmon stirred in, all piled on top of an English muffin. You can use the recipe I did earlier for the muffin, or buy them ready made from most supermarkets.

I've used sliced smoked salmon for this recipe but it's great for using up cheaper smoked salmon trimmings. You can also use flakes of hot smoked salmon or flaked trout.

Ingredients

2 free range eggs
60g smoked salmon ( retain a couple of strips of salmon as a garnish if you like )
1 tbs cream
1 English muffin
1 tsp of butter plus extra to butter the muffin
Black pepper

Chop the salmon into small pieces and put into a small bowl with the cream and mix well.
Break the eggs into a small bowl & whisk until all of the yolk & white are well combined. Add a grind of black pepper.

When you're ready to cook melt the butter in a small saucepan over a low heat and put in the eggs, stirring all the time to scramble the eggs. When about half of the liquid had turned into curds then add the salmon & cream mix ( pop the halved English muffin in the toaster at this point too ), continuing to scramble until all of the liquid has gone and you have a pan of creamy eggs & salmon.

When the muffin pops, butter in well, put onto a warmed plate & pile the salmon on top.

I like to serve mine with a sprinkling of chives or parsley & a wedge of lemon, but check with your guests as not everyone likes chives.

Smoked Haddock Topped With a Poached Egg

www.shropshirebreakfast.co.uk

We have another food scare in the news today, declaring the perils of eating red & processed meat. I've only seen the headlines & haven't read the study so I can't comment in detail.

I'm sure that eating too much of anything isn't good for you. So my approach is to try & eat & drink everything in moderation ( that's the theory it doesn't always work when I'm testing recipes :0). I love sausages but will probably only have a full English once or twice a month.

I think that if you come to a B&B you can afford to treat yourself for 2 or 3 days - in fact 95% of my guests will have some version of the cooked breakfast on their first day. But I also like to provide some healthier choices. Everyday on the buffet table we have natural & fruit yoghurts, homemade granola, muesli, granary bread to toast & fruit.

On the breakfast menu we always have smoothies & porridge. You can choose poached or scrambled eggs if you prefer....even the fried bread is homemade bread with no additives fried in olive oil...OK trying to persuade you fried bread is healthy is one step too far.

I do a daily special and this will sometimes be smoked haddock topped with a poached egg. I always use undyed smoked haddock. I poach it in fast simmering water ( most recipes suggest milk for smoked fish but I haven't noticed any difference using water ) for about 4 minutes then top with a grind of black pepper & a poached egg.