Hot oak-smoked haddock, pilau rice and quail’s eggs

Method

by Mathew Owsley-Brown at Fishes restaurant fishesrestaurant.co.uk

To cure the haddock, mix the sugar and salt, and cover the fish with the mixture. Wrap tightly in clear film and leave for 12 hours. To smoke it, proceed as for sea trout (see To smoke below).

1 Pour a little oil in an ovenproof pan and fry the onion and garlic with the bay leaf, salt and spices. Cook for a few minutes, then add the rice and fry until it becomes translucent.

2 Add the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid or some tin foil and place in a hot oven at 200°C (180°C fan oven), gas mark 6 for 18 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed.

3 Boil the quail's eggs in lightly salted water for two minutes, refresh them in cold water, then peel and cut in half.

4 Place the rice in a dish with flakes of the hot smoked haddock and eggs on top, and serve with the chopped parsley and a wedge of lemon.

To smoke
Try a portable smoker that sits on the stove (such as Camerons L'il Smokey, £40 plus p&p, from cookequip.co.uk, 01932 841171). Use this outside only because it creates a lot of smoke.

1 Put a good handful of oak chippings in the bottom compartment of the smoker. Lay the tray over it and then the rack. Place the fish skin-side down on the rack and fit on the cover.

2 Put onto a high heat and cook for about 7-8 minutes or until the fish has a rich golden colour.