Valentine Warner’s special kedgeree

Valentine Warner’s special kedgeree

A dish that can be eaten for brunch, lunch or dinner – Valentine Warner’s kedgeree recipe combines smoked haddock, soft boiled eggs and rice that’s flavoured with Indian spices.

Valentine Warner’s special kedgeree

  • Serves icon Serves 4
  • Time icon Hands-on 55 min, plus cooling

A dish that can be eaten for brunch, lunch or dinner – Valentine Warner’s kedgeree recipe combines smoked haddock, soft boiled eggs and rice that’s flavoured with Indian spices.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories
450kcals
Fat
21.2g (10.7g saturated)
Protein
32.6g
Carbohydrates
31.2g (5g sugars)
Fibre
1.9g
Salt
1.7g

Ingredients

  • 200ml whole milk
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 400g undyed sustainable smoked haddock, smoked pollock or smoked coley (ideally use the wide end of the fillet to get bigger flakes)
  • 60g butter
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 4 green cardamom pods, crushed and seeds reserved
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 scant tsp mild curry powder
  • 125g basmati rice (measured up to the 125ml mark of a measuring jug)
  • Pinch saffron strands (optional)
  • 4 free-range eggs
  • 1 tbsp Patak’s Lime Pickle (optional but highly recommended)
  • Handful fresh curly leaf parsley or coriander, finely chopped
  • Lemon wedges to serve
Sticky screen? No thanks! Tap to prevent your screen from going off while cooking.

Method

  1. Put the milk, 150ml water and 1 bay leaf into a large saucepan with a lid over a low heat and bring it to a gentle simmer.
  2. Put the haddock in the saucepan, skin-side down. Once it returns to a simmer, poach it gently with the lid on for 3-4 minutes, ensuring the fish doesn’t lose its translucence completely. Turn off the heat and lift the fish out very gently. The fillets should easily separate into large chunks. Flake the chunks into bite-size pieces with a fork onto a plate. Discard any bones and skin, then set aside.
  3. Pour the poaching liquid into a jug to cool, adding extra water to make it up to 250ml, if necessary.
  4. Melt the butter in a medium pan with a lid over a medium heat, then add the onion with the remaining bay leaf and the cardamom seeds. Fry for 10 minutes or so, stirring regularly, until the onion is very soft and a deep golden colour. Sprinkle in the turmeric and curry powder and cook for 1-2 minutes, then remove to a plate.
  5. Tip the rice into the pan, pour in the 250ml poaching liquid and add the saffron, if using. Put a lid on the pan and bring it up to a brisk simmer, then turn down the heat so it’s barely simmering with the lid on. Cook the rice for 11 minutes without removing the lid. Turn off the heat, lift off the lid and put a once-folded napkin or tea towel over the pan before returning the lid as snugly as possible for 8 minutes.
  6. While the rice is cooking, cook the eggs in a medium saucepan of water at a gently rolling boil for 6-7 minutes (for a soft set). Drain, then briefly rinse under cold running water before peeling.
  7. Remove the lid and napkin/tea towel from the rice pan, then fluff up the rice gently with a fork. Put the pan over a low-medium heat. Add the onions and stir in thoroughly. Do the same with the haddock, lime pickle (if using) and chopped fresh herbs, taking care to keep the fish flakes as large as possible.
  8. When everything is warmed through, season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the kedgeree among 4 plates, then crown each with a soft egg cut in half and well seasoned. Garnish each plate with a lemon wedge and drink a strong gin and tonic alongside.

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving
Calories
450kcals
Fat
21.2g (10.7g saturated)
Protein
32.6g
Carbohydrates
31.2g (5g sugars)
Fibre
1.9g
Salt
1.7g

delicious. tips

  1. Using milk as well as water to poach the haddock gives the dish added richness.

    Cooking the rice with a cloth beneath the lid absorbs steam from the rice, helping to make it dry and fluffy.

Buy ingredients online

Recipe By:

Valentine Warner

Subscribe

Fancy getting a copy in print?

Subscribe to our magazine

Rate & review

Rate

Reviews

Read what others say...

  1. OMG – that was awesome …. scored +++ brownie points with this for brunch this morning GF & it helped so much with last nights hangover … plus pretty easy to make even with long covid brain

  2. your recipes are superb and I like all of them. Your passion for baking gives us many ideas. Thanks for the lovely recipes.
    https://yobakers.com/

Share a tip

Or, how about...?

Save recipe icon Save recipe icon Save recipe

Kedgeree

Kedgeree is one of the many dishes that have remained...

Save recipe icon Save recipe icon Save recipe

Mackerel

Smoked mackerel kedgeree

This super-quick cheat’s kedgeree tastes just as good as the...

Save recipe icon Save recipe icon Save recipe

Smoked salmon

Hot-smoked salmon kedgeree

This kedgeree is made with hot-smoked salmon, but you could...

Save recipe icon Save recipe icon Save recipe

Fish pies

Curried fish pie topped with Bombay potatoes

Spice up fish pie with our easy recipe for curried...

Subscribe to our magazine

Food stories, skills and tested recipes, straight to your door... Enjoy 5 issues for just £5 with our special introductory offer.

Subscribe

Unleash your inner chef

Looking for inspiration? Receive the latest recipes with our newsletter

We treat your data with care. See our privacy policy. By signing up, you are agreeing to delicious.’ terms and conditions. Unsubscribe at any time.