It was world mental health day on Tuesday [10th October 2023].

I’m not sure I was really cognisant of that fact but I did make an effort to get through Tuesday without wanting to smash my fist through my work laptop.

I had decided in the middle of my Monday evening yoga class, while unsuccessfully trying to maintain a pigeon pose (more like dying duck) that I would use up the last of the cod and make a kedgeree for Tuesdays working from home lunch.

This time I somehow managed to make this between finishing triaging of referrals and the team meeting in the afternoon. It was perfect and a great way to help me calm down before the afternoon work session.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 3 onions (2 halved and thinly sliced, 1 finely chopped)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 350g (12oz) smoked haddock fillets
• 280g cod fillets
• 250g (9oz) basmati rice
• 3 cardamon pods, split
• 1/2 cinnamon stick, about 3cm (1 1/4 in) long
• 1/2 tsp tumeric
• 2 large eggs
• 30g (1oz) butter
• 100 ml creme fraiche
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander
• cayenne pepper, to taste
• juice of 1/2 lemon

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and fry the sliced onions. Season with salt and pepper, drain on kitchen paper, and set aside in a warm place. Put the haddock and cod, skin side down, in a large frying pan and pour over enough water to just cover. Simmer, covered, over a low heat for 5 – 8 minutes until opaque and cooked through. Remover from the heat. Drain the fish and discard any skin and bones. Set aside.
2. Prepare the rice. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large, non-stick, deep-sided frying pan or sauté pan. Add the chopped onion, cardamom pods, and cinnamon and fry over a medium-high heat until the onion is golden, about 5 minutes. Stir the drained rice into the onion pan. Pour in 450 ml (15 floz) cold water and stir in the turmeric. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, stir, cover, and cook for 12 – 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Take the rice off the heat and let it stand, covered, for 5 minutes before fluffing up the grains with a fork. Boil, peel, and quarter the eggs.
3. Flake the fish into large pieces. Remove the cinnamon stick from the rice and carefully stir in the butter, creme fraiche, coriander, fish, and eggs. Season with salt and cayenne pepper, and add the lemon juice. Heat through over a low heat, stirring gently once or twice only so you don’t break up the fish. Serve the kedgeree with the warm crispy onion on top.

Reference: Mary Berry Cooks the Perfect, page 174