Winter’s Kedgeree

This winter’s kedgeree from Jamie Oliver is not a radical departure from the standard bfia issue but it does feature some appealing adjustments, especially if you have leftover cooked greens during the holiday season and like an accent of fennel. About six servings.

• milk to cover the haddock
• 2 bay leaves
• whole peppercorns
• 1 lb smoked haddock
• 1 Tablespoon neutral oil
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 red onions sliced into the thinnest crescents
• a diced and seeded red chile
• 2 smashed and minced cloves garlic
• heaped Tablespoon or more minced ginger (from a jar is fine)
• ½ bunch chopped cilantro, separated into stems and leaves
• 1 heaped teaspoon fennel seeds crushed in a spicemill or mortar
• heaped ¼ teaspoon or more cayenne
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 8 oz sliced cooked greens (may be leftovers)
• 8 oz thawed frozen peas
• 1½ cups cooked rice
• salt and pepper
• about a Tablespoon lemon juice

1. Bring the milk to a boil with the bay and peppercorns, then reduce the heat and simmer the milk for 10 minutes.
2. Slip the fish into the infused milk along with half the cilantro stems, bring the pot to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer the haddock for a minute or so.
3. When it is cool enough to handle, flake the haddock, strain the milk and return the milk to the pan.
4. Melt the butter in the oil in a big heavy skillet over medium heat, then toss the onion and chile into the pan followed by the garlic, ginger, second tranche of cilantro stems, cayenne, curry and cilantro.
5. Cook the vegetables until they soften but do not color, usually in just under 10 minutes.
6. Meanwhile poach the eggs in the reserved milk.
7. Stir the greens and peas into the mix, then fold in the rice followed by the fish.
8. Stir the lemon juice into the kedgeree and check the seasoning.
9. Fold the cilantro leaves into the kedgeree and serve each portion topped with a poached egg.

Notes:

-Kedgeree lends itself to a lot of variations. Usually something as relatively baroque as Oliver’s leaves us cold but his is a worthy version of the simple classic.

-Oliver suggests broccoli, Brussells sprouts or tops, cabbage and kale as greens. You also might try bok choy, chard, spinach or any combination of what you have to hand.

-If you are a nervous cook uncomfortable with addressing multiple burners, boil and shell the eggs ahead of time. You need not hard boil them if you shell them gently.

-We have altered some of his proportions and, we hope, improved his technique. The milk, bay, peppercorns and cayenne are our additions.