James Martins Kedgeree Food

ULTIMATE KEDGEREE

Steps:

• For the crisp onions, heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onions with a pinch of salt (which helps to stop them burning), then cook on a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until deep golden, about 20-25 mins. When done, spread on paper towels and leave to crisp up. While the onions are frying, put both fish in a frying pan with the chilli. Pour the milk over, cover and simmer for 4 mins. Take off the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 mins to finish gently cooking the fish.
• Meanwhile, heat the 3 tbsp oil in a deep frying or sauté pan (with a lid). Add the onion, curry leaves, cardamom and cinnamon and fry until the onion is soft and golden, about 7-8 mins, stirring often. Lift the fish from the milk with a slotted spoon, discard the skin and any bones, cover to keep warm and set aside. Make the milk up to 600ml/1pt with water. Rinse the rice in warm water in a colander, drain, then stir it into the onion. Keep stirring for 1 min so the rice is coated. Pour in the milk mix and stir in the turmeric. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 mins, covered, lowering the heat if it starts to stick on the bottom.
• When the rice is tender, remove from the heat, drop the butter on top so it melts in, then lay the whole pieces of fish on the rice. Cover and leave for the flavours to mingle. Meanwhile, put the eggs in a pan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil, then boil for 6 mins (for lightly boiled). Remove from the heat and plunge into cold water, cracking the shells against the side of the pan. Peel off the shells and quarter the eggs.
• To serve, break the fish into big pieces with a fork, throw in the coriander and stir gently to mix without breaking up the fish, adding the eggs at the end. Season, scatter crisp onions on top and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.

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.

CREAMY SMOKED HADDOCK & SAFFRON KEDGEREE

Steps:

• Cook basmati rice, leave to cool. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease a large ovenproof dish with some of the butter. Push the egg yolks through a sieve and roughly chop the whites.
• Gently heat the cream in a frying pan until just below boiling point, then add the fish. Cover and poach for 4 mins. Place the wine in a pan with the saffron and warm to infuse. In a large bowl, mix together the rice, cayenne, curry powder, nutmeg, seasoning, chopped egg whites and saffron-infused wine. Lift the fish out of the cream and flake into the bowl - removing any bones as you find them. Scrape in the cream and gently mix together once more.
• Tip everything into the buttered dish and dot the top with the remaining butter. Bake to heat through for 20 mins, then serve scattered with the parsley and sieved egg yolk, with lemon wedges on the side.