Why Do I Need To Cook The Smoked Haddock For The Kedgeree Risotto?

Our answer

Nigella's Kedgeree Risotto (from FEAST) merges the Anglo-Indian flavours of kedgeree with Italian risotto. The dish includes curry spices, smoked haddock and boiled eggs. The smoked haddock is lightly poached before being broken into large chunks and added to the risotto once the rice is cooked.

Smoked haddock is briefly cured with salt (or in brine) and then cold smoked. But after this process the fish is not actually fully cooked and needs to be cooked again. When the smoked haddock has been poached it can also be broken more easily into chunks to be folded into the risotto. Smoked salmon is slightly different as it is usually cured for a longer time before it is smoked, making it less risky to eat without further cooking. Smoked cod could be used for the risotto as an alternative to smoked haddock, but should also be poached before it is added to the risotto.