Daily Mail - Daily Mail Weekend Magazine

BARLEY KEDGEROTTO

This lovely creamy dish of smoked fish, grains and greens sits somewhere between a kedgeree and a risotto – hence the name.

SERVES 4

■ 200g pearl barley (or spelt)

■ 500g undyed smoked haddock or 400g kipper fillets

■ 2 bay leaves

■ 300ml milk (dairy or nut/oat milk)

■ Oil or fat for cooking

■ 1 large onion, finely sliced

■ 1 leek, trimmed and finely sliced

■ 2 celery sticks, finely sliced

■ 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced

■ 4 medium eggs

■ 150g frozen peas or edamame beans, defrosted

■ 100g spinach, coarse stalks removed, shredded

■ A knob of butter

■ A small bunch of parsley, leaves picked and roughly chopped

■ A small bunch of chives, snipped (optional)

■ Sea salt and black pepper

■ Lemon wedges, to serve

Put the barley (or spelt) into a bowl, cover with water and leave to soak for 1-2 hours. Cut the fish into 2 or 3 pieces and lay in a medium pan. Add the bay leaves then pour on the milk and 400ml water, to just cover the fish. Place over a medium heat and bring the liquid to the boil. Take off the heat, put the lid on and leave the fish to cook in the residual heat for 5 minutes. Lift the fish out of the pan and set aside to cool. Strain

the cooking liquor into a measuring jug: if there’s less than 650ml, top it up with water.

Heat a little oil or fat in a fairly large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, leek and celery with a pinch of salt and get everything sizzling, then lower the heat. Let the veg sweat gently for 5 minutes or so, stirring occasional­ly, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Give the soaked barley (or spelt) a final rinse, then add to the veg in the pan. Stir so the grains are well coated with the oil.

Pour on about 300ml of the reserved fish cooking liquor and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook as you would a risotto, stirring often and, as the liquor is absorbed, adding more to keep it wet and creamy. After 30-35 minutes, taste the barley (or spelt); it should be almost tender. If it’s still firm in the middle, give it a splash more water and another 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the eggs in simmering water for 7-8 minutes then remove. When the grain is just tender, stir in the peas or edamame and spinach and cook for 3 minutes. Flake the fish and add to the pan, with the butter and three-quarters of the parsley and chives, if using. Peel and halve the warm eggs. Place the egg halves on top of the kedgerotto and sprinkle with the remaining herbs. Serve at once, with lemon wedges on the side.