Smoke out the best of Scots fish

Published on Saturday 13 June 2009 11:20

Amidst all the pipe-bands and pageantry of next month's Homecoming celebrations, there will doubtless be many returning ex-pats keen to reacquaint themselves with some of our more famous foodstuffs. While this means that the makers of Irn-Bru, macaroon bars and Lorne sausage will surely be looking forward to an upturn in summer sales, those who produce some of the more top-end Scottish food products will likewise be bracing themselves for what they hope will be a bumper season.

Restaurateurs around the city will be hoping for a tartan dividend from our overseas cousins seeking out haggis, highland venison and Scottish beef , while there should be similar levels of interest in our world-renowned seafood such as west coast langoustines, mussels and hand-dived scallops. And amongst all this culinary Caledonia, anyone trying a bowl of Cullen skink or ordering an Arbroath Smokie for the first time surely won't fail to be impressed by Scotland's excellent smoked fish produce.

If, however, you're a native of these parts and your experiences of smoked fish have so far been confined to the obligatory smoked salmon wedding starter or the odd kipper for breakfast in a B&B then maybe it's time to investigate some of the other options that our smoke-houses provide.

You can find smoked versions of practically any type of seafood from an eel to a mussel, but herring, salmon, haddock, trout and mackerel are the main Scottish species to benefit from the age-old process. Mackerel is widely available and smoking gives its strong oily flesh a uniquely rich flavour. It works best when crumbled through a salad or combined with potato and fresh herbs in a fishcake. Smoked trout will cost you a bit more but its smooth, subtler flavour is worth the difference.

Perfect for breakfast or as a light lunch served perhaps with a poached egg and a green salad, smoked haddock is also the main ingredient in two of Scotland's most famous dishes. Cullen skink is the classic stick-to-your-ribs fish and potato soup that's guaranteed to warm you up on a cold Scottish day, while kedgeree is Scotland's answer to paella, a flavoursome combination of rice, boiled egg and smoked haddock.

Of course, aficionados of smoked haddock have their own favourite brands.

Years ago during the aftermath of a fire in a north east warehouse full of salted haddock, someone allegedly tasted the smoke-damaged stock and had a lightbulb (or paraffin lamp) moment. Make of that what you will but the Arbroath Smokie has become a Scottish cultural icon as well as an important provider of jobs for the Angus area.

Further up the coast the people of Findon prefer their own version, the Finnan Haddie which is split open before being smoked as opposed to their Arbroath rival which is tied in pairs and smoked closed.

An Arbroath Smokie is "hot-smoked" and ready to eat whereas a Finnan haddie, like a kipper, requires grilling or poaching.

So whether it's a haddie or a Smokie, any of our summer visitors venturing to the north east in search of their ancestry should enjoy tasting the local delicacies. Even if understanding the local accent may be beyond them.

Andy McGregor is chef/proprietor at Blonde Restaurant, St Leonard's St, 0131 668 2917

RECIPES

Smoked haddock kedgeree serves 4

Ingredients:

500g smoked haddock

200g long-grain rice

3 eggs, hard-boiled, shelled and chopped

100g butter

1 tsp English mustard

1 tsp ground nutmeg

20g fresh parsley, washed and chopped

salt and black pepper

Method:

Boil the rice in salted water until tender then drain and rinse under cold water.

Simmer the haddock in water for 10 mins then drain. Flake the flesh and discard any bones.

In a large frying pan melt the butter then add the rice, mustard, nutmeg and chopped egg. Stir-fry for 5 mins then add the fish and the parsley, cook for a further 2 mins until piping hot then serve.

Cullen skink

serves 4-6

Ingredients:

400g Finnan Haddock

1 onion, chopped

500ml milk

400g mashed potato

50g butter

20g fresh parsley, washed and chopped

salt and ground black pepper

Method:

In a pan cover the haddock with water, bring to the boil and then add the onion. Simmer for 5 mins then lift out the fish, flake off the flesh and set aside. Return the skin and bones to the stock, boil for an hour, check the seasoning and strain.

Add the milk to the stock and simmer for 5 mins then add the fish and the potato and stir in until the potato is smooth.

Add the butter and parsley then serve.