Name: Hot-Smoked Salmon Kedgeree
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 5 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 large onion , chopped; 1¼ teaspoons table salt , divided; Pinch cayenne pepper (optional); 6 cups cooked basmati rice; 8 ounces hot-smoked salmon , broken into 1-inch flakes; 6 hard-cooked large eggs , peeled and grated; ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley; ⅓ cup chopped fresh chives; 5 tablespoons lemon juice (2 lemons), plus lemon wedges for serving; ½ teaspoon pepper

Why This Recipe Works

Traditional British kedgeree is a jumble of buttery rice and onions dotted with flakes of smoked fish, hard-cooked eggs, and herbs and infused with lemony brightness. Though many modern versions contain turmeric, curry powder, and coriander in homage to the dish's Indian origins, ours features just a pinch of cayenne to keep the focus on our succulent and savory hot-smoked salmon. We used precooked, cooled basmati rice so that each grain remained distinct and intact, contributing to the overall light feel of the dish, and we grated the hard-cooked eggs to imbue the rice with extra richness and a hint of sunny yellow color. Plenty of fresh parsley and chives stirred in right before serving provided a fresh finish to this comforting meal.

Before You Begin

We developed this recipe using our Hot-Smoked Whole Side of Salmon, but other hot-smoked salmon can be used. We like basmati rice here for its delicate fragrance, but any long-grain white rice will work. This recipe works best with day-old rice; alternatively, cook the rice a couple hours ahead, spread it on a rimmed baking sheet, and let it cool completely before chilling it for 30 minutes. Use the large holes of a box grater to grate the eggs. Kedgeree is a comforting meal that can be served at any time of day.

Instructions

Melt butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion; ¼ teaspoon salt; and cayenne, if using, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft but not browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add rice and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring frequently to break up clumps and coat rice with butter, until rice is heated through, about 10 minutes. Add salmon and cook, stirring frequently, until salmon is heated through, about 5 minutes.

Transfer mixture to large bowl. Add eggs, parsley, chives, lemon juice, and pepper and toss to combine. Season with salt to taste. Transfer to platter and serve, passing lemon wedges separately.