Smoked Haddock Kedgeree

Ingredients:

• 1 small cup of basmati rice
• 2 small cups of boiling water
• 2 large white onions – (finely sliced)
• 4 teaspoons of medium curry powder
• ½ bag of washed spinach
• 4 large free range eggs
• 2 pints of milk
• 1 bay leave
• 1 shallot (halved)
• 3 white pepper corns
• a knob of softened butter
• 2tablespoons of plain flour
• 4 fillets of naturally smoked sustainable Haddock

Weigh all of the ingredients out as stated above. This recipe taken from the Gents first notebook!

The Wilted Spinach:

1. Melt a knob of softened butter in a heavy based pan, add the washed spinach, season with a pinch of sea salt, black pepper and freshly grated nutmeg.
2. Remove from the pan and allow to wilt by gently mixing with your hands,
3. Add to a tray with a J cloth to drain.
4. Allow to cool and reserve in the fridge for later on in this recipe.

The Caramelised white onion:

1. Peel two large white onions and finely slice, add into a large heavy bottomed pan along with a dash of olive oil and a knob of softened butter.
2. Allow to caramelise, you want your onions to be soft and golden brown, once at this stage add your curry powder and cook out gently over a low heat.

The Banging Bas Rice !!!!

1. Place a heavy based range master pan onto a medium heat, for the perfect rice you want to do the absorption method, to achieve this add two small cups of boiling water to the pan along with one small cup of rice
2. To infuse the rice add one bay leaf, three white pepper corns and season with a pinch of sea salt
3. Allow to cook on a medium heat, until all of the water has been absorbed and the rice is beautiful and tender.

Béchamel: Infused milk

For the perfect béchamel…

1. Place a heavy based pan onto the heat, add 2 pints of semi skimmed milk, one shallot peeled and sliced in half, one bay leaf and three white pepper corns
2. To infuse the milk, bring to the boil, once boiled cover with cling film and allow to stand for at least half an hour.
3. Strain the milk, add your smoked haddock fillets.
4. Return to the heat and poach the fish until just cooked and flaky
5. Remove from the pan and place onto a pre-warmed artisan plate.

For the roux…

1. In a heavy based range master pan add a knob of softened butter, once melted add two tablespoons of plain flour and stir using a wooden spoon (you want your roux to resemble the texture of sand) – also ensure that you cook out your flour or otherwise your béchamel will just taste of just that.
2. Gradually add the milk from a Pyrex jug, by adding the milk gradually you ensure that you work all of the lumps out of your roux, which will give you a beautifully silky glossy béchamel.

Assembling the Kedgeree:

1. In a large range master pan add a knob of softened butter, once melted add the caramelised white onion cook for about to 2-3 minutes to re-heat.
2. Then add your cooked rice and wilted spinach, for that EXTRA CREAMY HIT you can add a little double cream along with your béchamel as this will make the dish more luxurious.
3. Cook for a further 2 minutes and then flake the smoked haddock into the rice, GENTS TIP – instead of mixing the kedgeree, gently fold it, as this way you don’t break down those beautiful flakes of fish.

Traditionally a kedgeree would be served with hard boiled eggs BUT

GO FREESTYLE !!!!

For the perfect poached egg bring a pan of cold water to the boil, add a cap full of white wine vinegar. Before adding your eggs make a swirl in the water with a metal spoon allow the pan to come up to come up to temperature and add one egg at a time.

Cook for 2/3 mins

Remove with a spider spoon and drain on a J cloth

TIME TO PLATE !!

Pre-heat an artisan plate, place a bed of kedgeree onto the plate, top with your trimmed poached eggs and to garnish add a little parsley leaf. Serve with warm crushy bread.