Kedgeree
Photo: User:Justinc · CC BY-SA 2.0

History

Kedgeree descends from khichdi, the South Asian one-pot rice and lentil dish, which arrived in 17th-century English households through East India Company traders. The fish addition is credited to Eliza Acton's 1845 recipe and likely emerged when Scottish smoked haddock (finnan haddie) became fashionable in southern England in the early 1800s. By the late Victorian era, kedgeree was the canonical breakfast in country-house and London hotel breakfast buffets, served alongside kippers and devilled kidneys. The Wolseley still offers it daily; St John keeps the dish in the modernist British canon. Smoked haddock is non-negotiable; the dish without it becomes plain spiced rice.

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Common allergens: Fish, Egg, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 30 minTotal 45 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 500g undyed smoked haddock fillet (do NOT use bright-yellow dyed haddock; the dye masks bad fish)
  • 500ml whole milk (for poaching)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 300g basmati rice
  • 4 large eggs
  • 60g unsalted butter
  • 1 large onion, finely diced
  • 1 thumb fresh ginger, grated
  • 2 tsp mild curry powder (Madras strength)
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • Pinch cayenne
  • 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 1 lemon (juice and zest)
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • To serve: mango chutney, lemon wedges, optional dash of double cream

Method

  1. Poach the haddock: pour milk into a wide pan with bay leaves and peppercorns. Add the haddock, skin-side down. Bring to a bare simmer, cook 6 minutes until the flesh flakes. Lift out onto a plate; reserve 200ml of the poaching milk, strained.
  2. Hard-boil the eggs: cold start, simmer 8 minutes for set yolk (or 6 minutes if you prefer slightly soft). Cool in iced water, peel, quarter.
  3. Rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs clear.
  4. Melt 40g butter in a heavy saucepan. Soften the onion 8 minutes over medium-low heat.
  5. Add ginger; cook 1 minute. Add curry powder, turmeric, cumin and cayenne; toast 30 seconds until fragrant.
  6. Stir in the rice; coat in the spiced butter.
  7. Pour in the reserved 200ml haddock milk plus 400ml water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to lowest heat. Cover; cook 12 minutes undisturbed.
  8. Remove from heat. Rest covered 5 more minutes.
  9. Meanwhile, flake the haddock into large chunks, discarding skin and any bones.
  10. Fluff the rice with a fork. Fold in the flaked haddock, remaining 20g butter, half the parsley, lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season carefully (smoked fish is already salty).
  11. Tip onto a wide serving plate. Arrange egg quarters around the edge. Scatter remaining parsley.
  12. Serve immediately with mango chutney and lemon wedges.

Tip from the editors. Use undyed natural smoked haddock; the bright-yellow dyed version masks fish that has been smoked to hide its age. A pale natural smoke gives a cleaner flavour.

Where to eat kedgeree

Kedgeree in London

The Wolseley ★ 4.6

££ £18-35BrunchEuropean brasserie breakfast and brunchMayfair

Chris Corbin and Jeremy King's grand European brasserie on Piccadilly in London, opened 2003, runs the city's most-traditional power-breakfast crowd.

OrderEggs Benedict with smoked salmon, plus a flat white

TipWeekday breakfast at 07:30 is the easy slot. The weekend full English at £24 is the marquee brunch order.

Directions Book

Riding House Cafe ★ 4.3

££ £12-22BrunchModern British all-day brunchFitzrovia

Adam White's Riding House Cafe on Great Titchfield Street in Fitzrovia London, opened 2011, runs an all-day Modern British brunch and small-plates menu.

OrderSweetcorn fritters with chipotle yoghurt and bacon

TipCounter seats walk in any time. Tables book a week ahead through Resy. Closed Mondays.

Directions

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