Easy Mackerel Kedgeree Food

SMOKED MACKEREL KEDGEREE WITH SOFT-BOILED EGGS

Steps:

• Pour 500ml boiling water over the fish fillets and set aside. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the coriander seeds, curry leaves and mustard seeds, and cook until the seeds start to crackle, about 1 min or so. Add the onion, carrot, leek, coriander stalks, bay leaf and a pinch of salt, turn down the heat and cook for 8-10 mins. Add the garlic and cook for 2 mins more.
• Add the rice and stir-fry for a few mins, making sure that it doesn't stick. Drain the mackerel water into the pan, then stir in the spices and increase the heat. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down low, cover and cook for 15-20 mins. Remove from the heat and leave the rice to steam- cook with the lid on for 15 mins. (If the rice is still not cooked through, add some water and return to the heat for a few mins.)
• Peel and discard the mackerel skin. Flake up the flesh and stir it into the rice along with the cooked peas and butter - the mackerel should be warmed through by the residual heat - but if not, return to the heat for a couple of mins, stirring so it doesn't stick. Mix in the lime juice, then chop up two of the eggs and stir through.
• Serve topped with the remaining eggs cut into quarters, the coriander leaves and some pepper.

KEDGEREE

Steps:

• For the rice, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large, lidded pan, add 1 finely chopped large onion, then gently fry for 5 mins until softened but not coloured.
• Add 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp ground turmeric and 2 tsp curry powder, season with salt, then continue to fry until the mix starts to go brown and fragrant; about 3 mins.
• Add 300g rinsed easy-cook long grain rice and stir in well. Add 600ml water, stir, then bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, then cover for 10 mins.
• Take off the heat and leave to stand, covered, for 10-15 mins more. The rice will be perfectly cooked if you do not lift the lid before the end of the cooking.
• Meanwhile, put 300g skin-on undyed smoked haddock fillet and 2 bay leaves in a frying pan, cover with 300ml milk, then poach for 10 mins until the flesh flakes. Remove from the milk, peel away the skin, then flake the flesh into thumb-sized pieces.
• Place 4 eggs in a pan, cover with water, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Leave for 4½-5 mins, plunge into cold water, then peel and cut the eggs into quarters.
• Gently mix the fish, eggs, a handful each of chopped parsley and coriander, and rice together in the pan. Serve hot, sprinkled with a few extra herbs.

EASY KEDGEREE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Heat an ovenproof saucepan or flameproof casserole over a medium heat and toast the curry powder for 1 min. Stir in the rice to coat it in the curry powder, then pour over the stock. Bring to the boil, then lay the haddock on top. Cover. Cook in the oven for 30 mins.
• Carefully remove from the oven. Leave to rest for a minute, then stir through the peas while breaking up the haddock and fluffing the rice. Season to taste, then serve.

EASY MACKEREL KEDGEREE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan - I used a Le Creuset casserole. Add the onion and stir well. Now put a lid on the pan and turn the heat right down, allowing the onions to gently cook for about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the curry paste and cook gently for 1 minute.
• Get a small jug of tap water to hand - you will need this in a minute.
• Tip the cooked brown rice into the pan and stir well. At this stage you are heating the rice through and you don't want it to stick so use the water to add a splash every now and then.
• Gently stir through the peas followed by the spinach, allowing the spinach to wilt in the heat.
• Now break up the mackerel fillets into large-ish pieces.
• When the rice mixture is fully heated through, turn off the heat and gently toss the mackerel through the rice. At this stage, give it a good squeeze of lemon juice and check for seasoning. Now lay the eggs on top of the rice mixture and return the lid to the pan. Leave for 5 minutes or so while you gather the diners to the table .....