My Kedgeree

A great dish for holiday brunch.  Tip out of bed late, make this satisfying meal then feel satiated until a desire to eat leftovers takes over later in the evening.

There are a few elements but it isn't a complicated dish.  Our culinary efforts are also richly rewarded with layers of flavour.  We have mildly spiced rice with clove, turmeric and cardamom.  The rice is served with baked coriander and green chilli marinaded salmon (lightly cold smoked salmon fillets are always fair game).

The salmon has quite a kick of chilli heat, hence contrasts well with the rice.  Kedgeree goes from predictably pleasant to 'wake-up wow!'

Serves 4:

Proteins:

3 salmon fillets (around 350g-400g in total)

4 eggs, boiled for around 7 minutes (I'm at sea level, you'll need longer at altitude)

Salmon marinade:

1, 35g bunch of coriander

3 green chillies

1.5 cm ginger

3 garlic cloves

1/2 tsp chilli powder

3/4 tsp cumin

2 tsp lemon or lime juice

3 TBSP water

Method:

Blitz the marinade.  Set the fish on baking foil, pour over the marinade and seal up the little foil present.

Rice:

275g basmati rice, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes

20g butter

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

4 cloves

4 cardamom pods, brused/cracked

500ml hot chicken, fish or veg stock

Black pepper

For the dish:

Heat the oven to 200 C (no fan setting).

Prepare the rice by frying the cloves, cardamom and turmeric in butter for 1-2 minutes (until fragrant).

Stir in the rice, cook 1 minute.

Add stock and black pepper, bring to a simmer, cover and put in the oven for 17 minutes.

After 5 minutes add the fish parcel, on a baking tray, and cook for 12 minutes.

Meanwhile cook the eggs for 7 minutes.

I like to assemble by fluffing the rice, adding a decent scoop of rice, large flakes of salmon and a peeled/quartered egg per plate.

Suggestions:

If you have a coriander sensitive at the brunch table, omit it, there isn't really a swap.

I sometimes add 1/2 a tsp of mustard seeds with the cardamom.

You can omit the turmeric, infusing a pinch of saffron in the stock.

I think Loïc's paella is closest.

Loïc's paella