Traditional Finnan Haddie Recipes

Finnan Haddie is a versatile seafood with a distinct and unique flavor...

Finnan Haddie carries a remarkable and enchanting flavor that is quite distinct from all other smoked seafoods. How can it be so good?  The genius and simplicity of a great food is the only answer!!  The combination of exceptional haddock that is lightly salted to perfection, and smoked delicately over real wood, gives a distinct and wonderful flavor that cannot be equaled.

Finnan Haddie can be made into many dishes that are amazingly distinctive visually and can have many varied textures. It is so very versatile and easy to prepare, and it keeps and serves well the next day. It can be combined with other seafoods, where the smoky flavor carries through and influences all the elements, such as in in a seafood pie or chowder, or used to create one of the recipes listed and detailed below. 

Smoked Haddock Kedgeree

Serves 4 / Cooking time: 35 Minutes

• 1 lb Finnan Haddie.
• 1 small onion chopped.
• 1 oz. butter.
• 1 pint chicken stock.
• 2 green cardamom pods.
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder.
• 2 inch cinnamon stick.
• 1 fresh bay leaf.
• 12 oz basmati rice.
• 2 eggs.
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper.
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley.

1. Melt the butter in a large sauce pan, add the onion and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes until soft but not browned. Add the cardamom pods, turmeric, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf and cook, stirring for about 1 minute. Add the rice and stir for about 1 minute, until it is well coated in the spicy butter. Add the stock and 1/2 tsp salt and bring to the boil. Cover the pan with a close fitting lid, lower the heat and leave it to cook very gently for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, hard boil the eggs for 8 minutes. Bring some water to boil in a large shallow pan, add the smoked haddock and simmer for 4 minutes. Lift the fish out onto a plate and leave to cool enough to handle, then break into flakes, discarding the skin. Drain the eggs, cool down slightly, then peel and cut into small pieces.
3. Uncover the rice and gently fork in the fish and chopped eggs. Cover again and return to the heat for five minutes or until the fish has heated through. Then gently stir in the chopped parsley and season with a little more salt and black pepper to taste. Garnish with sprigs of parsley and the salmon caviar.

Eggs Benedict with Smoked Haddock

Serves 4 / Cooking time: 45 Minutes

• 1/4 quantity of Hollandaise Sauce.
• 1 lb Finnan Haddie.
• 10 fl oz milk.
• 3 bay leafs.
• 2 slices onion.
• 6 black peppercorns.
• 1 tablespoon white whine vinegar.
• 4 eggs.
• 2 English muffins.
• Coarsely crushed black peppercorns and
• a few chopped chives, to garnish.

1. Make the hollandaise sauce and keep it warm, off the heat over a pan of warm water. Bring the milk and 10 fl oz of water to boil in a shallow pan. Add the bay leaves, peppercorns, onions and smoked haddock pieces, bring back to simmer and poach for 4 minutes. Lift out the haddock onto a plate, peel off the skin and keep warm.
2. Bring about 2 inches of water to the boil in a medium sized pan, add the vinegar and reduce to a gentle simmer. Break the eggs into the pan one at a time and poach for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the muffins in half and toast them until lightly browned. Lift the poached eggs out with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on kitchen paper.
3. To serve, place the mufffin halves on 4 warm plates ad top with the haddock and poached eggs, spoon over the hollandaise sauce and garnish with a sprinkling of crushed black pepper and chopped chives.