Potted Kippers Recipes

HOW TO COOK KIPPER

Steps:

• Heat the water in a pot on the stove. Place the pot over high heat, and bring the water to a boil. You can also do this step in a large frying pan if you prefer, which will heat the water faster. Poaching kippers creates the least amount of smell as opposed to other methods. Kippers can be fairly potent.
• Remove the pan from the heat to add the kippers. The water doesn't need to stay boiling to cook the kippers. Take the pan off the heat and put the kippers in so you gently poach them instead of overcooking them. You can gently drop the kippers in with your hands or use tongs to lower them into the water.
• Wait 5 minutes for the kippers to cook. Kippers cook pretty fast, and they're typically done in this amount of time. You can leave them for a bit longer if the kippers don't look done. They should flake apart easily.
• Pour the water off after 5 minutes. Use a sieve or colander to drain the water off, but be gentle, as the kippers may break apart. You can also use a slotted spoon or tongs to gently pull them out of the water. Try serving them with scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast. You can add a bit of butter on top of each fish for flavor. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Eat them within a couple of days.

SPICED BUTTERED KIPPERS WITH CRISPY POTATOES AND AVOCADO

Steps:

• Mash 50g of the butter with the lemon zest, paprika, parsley, a pinch of chilli flakes and some seasoning. Tip onto a piece of clingfilm and roll into a sausage. Chill.
• Heat the remaining butter and a drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan. When the butter starts to foam, add the potato cubes. Don't stir them round, but let them crisp up on each side before you turn them. They should take 15-20 minutes until evenly brown, tender, and a knife goes into them easily.
• Season the potatoes with salt and pepper. Add a knob of the spiced butter to another frying pan, and cook the kippers for a few minutes on each side until cooked through, basting with the butter as they cook. Alternatively add a few dabs of the spiced butter and grill for 5 minutes.
• Cut the avocados in half and remove the stone. Using a dessert spoon, scoop the flesh from the skin, in one piece, and discard the skin. Put the halves cut-side down on a chopping board and cut thin slices through the avo, lengthways (from top to bottom), keeping the shape of the avocado. Push the top pieces to the right, and the bottom pieces to the left on the chopping board, but make sure the slices are still overlapping slightly, so you make a thin strip of overlapping avocado slices. Starting from one end, curl the pieces into a spiral, tucking in any pieces that fall out. It should end up looking like a flower. Squeeze over a little lemon juice and a pinch of chilli flakes.
• Divide the potatoes between 4 plates and add a kipper to each, with another slice of the spiced butter. Add an avocado flower to each plate.

POTTED KIPPERS

Steps:

• In a food processor puree the kippers with the shallot, the anchovies, lemon juice and the cayenne. With the motor running add the olive oil in a stream. Add the scotch and the butter cubes. Blend the mixture until it is combined well.
• Pack the mixture into small ramekins or a crock, and chill it, covered until it is firm, preferrably at least overnight.
• Garnish the potted kippers with the fresh dill.