Salmon and smoked haddock kedgeree

Kedgeree is a perfect weekend brunch dish. A warming winner for menopause, it’s comforting, lightly spiced rice, strewn with smoked fish and fresh-flavoured herbs; it wakes up your palate and soothes the stomach.

It’s equally delicious hot or cold, so you can still enjoy it later in the day if too much smoked fish defeats you at breakfast!

Serves:          4-6

Prep time:     15 minutes

Cook time:     45 minutes 

Ingredients

Make it stand out

• 280g brown basmati rice

• 350g undyed smoked haddock

• 175g lightly smoked salmon fillet

• 1/2 pt milk

• 4 free-range eggs

• 3 tbsp sunflower oil

• 1 red onion, chopped

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 red chilli, deseeded and cut into thin rings

• 4 cardamom pods, split

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 tbsp curry powder

• 100g frozen peas

• 50g unsalted butter

• handful of coriander leaves, chopped

• 1 lemon, juice only

• 8 cherry tomatoes, chopped

Method

1. Toss the rice briefly under running water and then put it in a large pan and cover it with cold water. Leave for at least half an hour.

2. Drain the rice and discard the soaking water. Put it in a large pan on medium heat with 585ml fresh water.

3. Bring to the boil, and give it a good stir. Cover tightly and turn the heat down very low. Cook for 25 minutes then take off the heat – don't take the lid off! – Leave for five minutes then fork through to fluff up.

4. Put the fish in a pan with the milk and simmer for three minutes. Remove from the heat, turn the fish over in the liquid and leave for 10 minutes to allow the flavours to develop.

5. Meanwhile, put the eggs in a pan of cold water, bring to a boil and cook for six minutes. Stop the cooking by putting the eggs under cold running water until cool.

6. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over lowish heat, and add the onion. Fry gently until softened, then stir in the chilli, cardamom pods, cumin and curry powder. Cook for 5 minutes, until starting to colour then tip in the rice and stir to coat. Add the turmeric and curry powder and cook for one minute.

7. Remove the fish from the poaching liquor and flake, discarding any skin and bones.

8. Cook the peas in the milk poaching liquor until just cooked and drain.

9. Stir through the lemon juice, coriander and chopped tomato. Remove from the heat.

10. Fold through the flaked fish, quartered hard-boiled eggs and serve.