Image by Jonathon Ring
This week on Cooking the Books, I’ve got 2 episodes to get you fired up ahead of your vote today. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has been campaigning about access to healthy food on and off our screens and book shelves for decades, and he’s still chipper enough to stir our souls about the state of the food system. Hats off to him.
And here, I reckon, is the secret. Pottering around in a veg patch that delivers - mine is the communal dining room for Brer Rabbit and his pals - must be the most calming place on earth. Pop in with him and see what it does to your blood pressure.
Here are stunning images from the book of his four food moments.
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And the recipe for Barley Kedgerotto
This lovely creamy dish of smoked fish, grains and greens sits somewhere between a kedgeree and a risotto – hence the name. It’s a luxurious way to enjoy the flavours of smoked fish and the goodness of whole grains, along with silky greens and popping peas or beans.
Serves 4
200g pearl barley (or spelt)
500g undyed smoked haddock or 400g kipper fillets
2 bay leaves
300ml milk (dairy or nut/oat milk)
Oil or fat for cooking
1 large onion, finely sliced
1 leek, trimmed and finely sliced
2 celery sticks, finely sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
4 medium eggs
150g frozen peas or edamame beans, defrosted
100g spinach, coarse stalks removed, shredded
A knob of butter
A small bunch of parsley, leaves picked and roughly chopped
A small bunch of chives, snipped (optional)
Sea salt and black pepper
Lemon wedges to serve
Put the barley (or spelt) into a bowl, pour on cold water to cover and leave to soak for 1–2 hours.
Cut the fish fillet into 2 or 3 pieces and lay in a medium saucepan. Add the bay leaves, then pour on the milk and 400ml water, to just cover the fish. Place over a medium heat and bring the liquid just to the boil. Immediately take off the heat, put the lid on the pan and leave the fish to cook in the residual heat for 5 minutes.
Lift the fish out of the pan with a slotted spoon or spatula and place on a plate; set aside to cool. Strain the cooking liquor into a measuring jug: if there’s less than 650ml, top it up with water.
Heat a little oil or fat in a fairly large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, leek and celery with a pinch of salt and get everything sizzling, then lower the heat. Let the veg sweat gently for 5 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to colour a little. Add the garlic and cook for another 2–3 minutes.
Give the soaked barley (or spelt) a final rinse, then add to the veg in the pan. Stir to ensure the grains are well coated with the oil. Pour on about 300ml of the reserved fish cooking liquor and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook as you would a risotto, letting it bubble gently, stirring often and, as the liquor is absorbed, adding more to keep it wet and creamy. You may need a little more than you have; if so, add a dash of hot water from the kettle. After 30–35 minutes, taste the barley (or spelt); it should be almost tender. If it’s still firm in the middle, give it a splash more water and another 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the eggs: bring a small pan of water to the boil, lower in the eggs and simmer for 7–8 minutes, then remove, refresh briefly in cold water and tap the shells to crack them.
When the grain is just tender, stir in the peas or edamame and spinach and cook for 3 minutes. Flake the fish, removing any skin and pin-bones as you do so, and add to the pan, with the butter and three-quarters of the parsley and chives if using. Let rest for a couple of minutes, while you peel and halve the warm eggs.
Place the egg halves on top of the kedgerotto and sprinkle with the remaining herbs. Serve at once, with lemon wedges on the side.
Hi
So many people panic over ingredients, therefore l think it's important to add alternative possibilities, perhaps from the larder for those of us who might otherwise give the recipe a wide berth because we dont have chives or parsley available.A suggestion of frozen veg alternatives or left over fish ,for examples?