Smoked Mackerel Kedgeree
Kedgeree is one of those dishes that can’t decide whether it’s breakfast or dinner, and honestly, I love it for that. Gently spiced rice, flakes of smoked fish, soft-boiled eggs. It works just as well at 8am on a lazy weekend as it does on a weeknight when you want something warming and a bit different. And because Matt loves eggs more than just about anything in the world (he gets through an alarming amount of them), this has quietly become one of the most requested dinners in our house.
It’s traditionally made with smoked haddock, but I use smoked mackerel instead. It’s cheaper, it doesn’t need cooking, and its rich, oily flesh stands up brilliantly to the curry spices. I’ve sung its praises before in my smoked mackerel pâté and I stand by it: this is one of the most underrated fish at the supermarket.
The spicing here is gentle rather than hot. Curry powder and turmeric give the rice its warmth and that gorgeous golden colour without blowing your head off, and if you do like more of a kick, a pinch of cayenne will sort you out.
The eggs are worth a little care. Six and a half minutes gives you whites that are set but yolks that are still slightly jammy in the middle, which is exactly what you want oozing into the rice. This makes enough for 4 and it reheats well for lunch the next day. Just keep the eggs for the day you make it!
Smoked Mackerel Kedgeree
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 4 people
Serving size: 258g
Calories per serving: 601
Fat per serving: 28.2g
Ingredients
- 250g basmati rice
- 250g smoked mackerel fillets, skin removed and flaked
- 4 eggs
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 30g butter
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 100g garden peas (frozen are fine)
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
- Small handful of parsley, chopped
- Salt and black pepper to season
Method
- Cook the basmati rice according to the packet instructions, then drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, bring a small pan of water to the boil and lower in the eggs. Cook for 6 and a half minutes, then move them straight into cold water. Once cool enough to handle, peel and cut into quarters.
- Melt the butter in a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5-6 minutes, until soft and just starting to colour.
- Stir in the curry powder and turmeric and cook for 1 minute, until the spices smell fragrant and the butter has turned golden.
- Add the cooked rice and the peas to the pan and stir gently until everything is coated in the spiced butter and warmed through - around 3-4 minutes.
- Fold in the flaked smoked mackerel and the lemon juice and let it warm through for a final 2 minutes. Be gentle here so the fish stays in nice big flakes.
- Have a taste and season - go easy on the salt, as the mackerel is already salty.
- Serve topped with the quartered eggs, a scattering of parsley and a good grind of black pepper.
