Quick, easy kedgeree
We are well and truly back into the school routine now . . . bye-bye summer. I like to have a repertoire of recipes at the ready for weeknight dinners, including lighter meals in summer and warming meals in the cooler months.
Kedgeree is a perfect autumn meal, with a bit of spice but not too heavy.
It comes together easily, especially if I plan ahead and pre-cook the rice. Topped with pickled eggs it’s a quick flash in the pan and on the table. Too easy.
This recipe is slightly retro but one that has recently become a fridge staple, partly because of an abundance of eggs from our backyard hens. A sliced pickled egg on buttered sourdough toast is an excellent (and speedy) start to the day.
Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes Makes 6 pickled eggs
■ 6 free-range eggs (at least one week old or the shells are difficult to remove)
■ 1⁄2 cup water
■ 1⁄2 teaspoon mustard seeds
■ 1⁄2 teaspoon coriander seeds
■ 1⁄2 teaspoon black peppercorns
■ 1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric powder
■ 1 bay leaf
■ 1 teaspoon salt
■ 2 teaspoon sugar
■ 3⁄4 cup apple cider vinegar
Boil the eggs for seven minutes then drain and cover with some cold water while making the pickling liquid.
In a saucepan combine the 1⁄2 cup of water, spices, bay leaf, salt, and sugar, and simmer gently for two minutes. Remove from the heat and cool a little before adding the vinegar. I don’t boil the vinegar so the goodness of the apple cider vinegar stays alive.
Peel the boiled eggs and pack snugly into a 500ml jar. Pour over the pickling liquid, secure the lid, and place in the fridge. Leave for 24 hours before eating. Consume within seven days.
This kedgeree interpretation has a high vegetable to rice ratio, as I am always looking for ways to add more seasonal vegetables to our plates.
I also use a combination of white rice with New Zealand-grown quinoa for a little extra nutrition. If you have leftover rice/quinoa to use up, three cups is what you need.
Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Serves 4
■ 1⁄2 cup white basmati rice
■ 1⁄4 cup quinoa or extra rice
■ 1 1⁄2 cups good-quality vegetable or chicken stock
■ 1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric powder
■ 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
■ 1 tablespoon olive oil
■ 1 brown onion, chopped
■ 2 teaspoons mild curry powder
■ 2 small zucchini, sliced
■ 200g green beans, cut into 4cm lengths
■ 1 cup corn kernels, (cut from 1 fresh corn cob or frozen corn)
■ 2 tablespoons water
■ 250g smoked mackerel or other white-fleshed fish, flaked
■ Cracked pepper to season
■ 4 pickled eggs (or boiled), quartered
■ 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
Cucumber raita
■ 4 tablespoons (100g) natural yoghurt
■ 1⁄4 telegraph cucumber, grated
■ Pinch of ground cumin
■ Fresh coriander leaves to serve
Combine the rice, quinoa, stock, turmeric, and salt, in a saucepan. Cover with a lid and simmer for 10-12 minutes until tunnels appear in the rice. Remove from the heat, keep the lid on, and leave to steam for 10 minutes. The rice can be prepared ahead of time.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a moderate heat. Add the onion and saute for five minutes until softened. Add the curry powder, vegetables and water, cover with a lid, and steam for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the rice and flaked mackerel, and stir well to combine. Season with pepper to taste.
Tip on to a serving platter and top with the pickled egg and cherry tomatoes.
To make the cucumber raita, combine in a bowl the yoghurt, cucumber, cumin, and seasoning to taste. Serve alongside the kedgeree with the coriander leaves and a green salad.