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Campbells Fish Box Recipes

At Campbells we are exceptionally proud of the quality of our ingredients. Our Fish Box was curated by Stuart, our master fishmonger, to highlight the best of Scottish fish. Here we have collected some of our favourite fish recipes you can make with the ingredients in our fish box. We will also be looking at the history behind some of these dishes. As well as traditional Scottish recipes, we have also delighted to include a few Indian flavoured dishes to inspire you. So simply select a fish box for delivery and read on to find out more about Kedgeree, Fish Pakora, Cullen Skink, and a classic Fish Pie.

 

Kedgeree

Kedgeree is the original Indian/Scottish fusion food and has its roots firmly in the British Raj. It comes from the South Asian dish khichdi which is a very lightly spiced mix of lentils and rice. This then became particularly popular as a breakfast dish for the British colonists which resulted in eggs and fish being added as these were popular to eat for breakfast at the time. On the return home, the lentils were swapped out and the Scots added smoked haddock which made Kedgeree as it is known today. It is said that Queen Victoria was particularly partial to kedgeree.
The National Trust for Scotland’s book by Christopher Trotter, ‘The Scottish Kitchen’, theorised that Kedgeree was created by members of the Scottish regiments that had been stationed in India who wished to replicate the flavours they had experienced there but also add a uniquely Scottish quality.

 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 350g of basmati rice
  • 2 onions, sliced
  • 2 to 3 tbsps of sunflower oil
  • 2 fresh green chilies, sliced, to taste
  • 4 tsps of curry powder
  • 2 fish stock cubes dissolved in 750ml of boiling water (if you don’t have any fish stock, you could use chicken or a few splashes of fish sauce)
  • 200ml of milk
  • 1 tsp of salt
  • 200g of frozen peas
  • 400g to 500g of smoked haddock
  • 200g of raw king prawns

 

To garnish

  • 3 or 4 eggs boiled for about 7 minutes, then peeled and cut into quarters
  • Asparagus to garnish (boiled/steamed for 4-5 minutes)

 

METHOD:

  1. Rinse the rice in at least 4 changes of water to get all the starch out and soak in water for at least 10 minutes.
  2. In a frying pan, add the milk, haddock and prawns then gently bring to the boil for about 1 minute. Turn off the heat immediately- the fish and prawns will not be quite cooked at this stage, but this makes it easier when you add them later to the rice. Leave in the milk for about 5 minutes then drain. Keep the milk as you will need it later.
  3. Meanwhile, in a wide-bottomed deep frying or sauté pan, gently fry the onions and chillis in the oil until soft.
  4. Add the curry powder and stir for a few minutes until the spices release their oils.
  5. Then add the drained rice and salt and stir for a few minutes until all the grains are coated.
    Add the hot stock, bring to the boil, then gently simmer with the lid on for about 10 minutes.
  6. Next, add the frozen peas and make sure that the bottom of the rice is not sticking- add some of the milk if needed and continue on a gentle heat with the lid on until the rice is cooked, adding more of the milk.
    Finally, add the fish and prawns, stir gently and put the lid back on the pan so that the heat of the rice continues to cook them.
  7. Serve on a platter using the boiled eggs and asparagus to garnish.

Fish Pakora

Pakora is one of the most well-known snack and street foods from the Indian subcontinent and is incredibly popular both at home and abroad. Though usually made from vegetables many other pakora varieties can be found, and the most famous in Scotland is the Haggis pakora which is the ultimate modern Indian/Scottish fusion food. The batter is made from gram flour which is made from chickpeas, and the result is that as well as being delicious pakora are also naturally gluten-free.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 500g white fish, cod, or haddock
  • 5 tbsp of gram flour
  • 3 tbsps of full-fat yoghurt
  • 1bsp of minced ginger and garlic
  • 1 heaped tsp of garam masala
  • 1 heaped tsp of red chilli powder
  • 2 tsps of tamarind paste
  • 2 tsps of salt
  • Squeeze of lemon juice for serving

METHOD:

  1. Skin your fish and chop it into chunks. Place in the fridge.
  2. Create the marinade/batter by mixing all of the other ingredients except the lemon until you have a smooth paste. Taste test and see if it needs more salt or chilli.
  3. Carefully dip your fish chunks into the batter, coat them, then remove and place on a separate plate, cover with cling film or a bowl, and return to fridge. Leave them to marinate for 20 minutes.
  4. Heat up two inches of oil in a pot or pan to medium-high heat. Add a little bit of the batter to test the temperature. The batter should crispen and turn golden over a minute. If the batter rises to the surface and turns dark quickly then the batter is too hot.
  5. Place your bits of marinated and coated fish into the batter. Cook for at least 3 minutes, turning halfway through and until the batter goes a deep golden colour.
  6. Squeeze a touch of lemon or lime juice on top, and serve while warm with your chosen sauces or chutneys.

 

Cullen Skink

Second only to Haggis when it comes to a classic Scottish dish, Cullen Skink is a very rich, creamy, and tasty fish soup made with smoked haddock, potatoes, and milk. It is similar to a French Bisque or American chowder, but with a deeper flavour and richer texture. Incredibly popular in hotels across the country, it is most often served at home as a starter as part of a Burns Supper. It originates from Cullen in Moray, and ‘Skink’ is Scots for ‘shin’ which became associated with soup due to broths often being made with the shinbone as a base.

 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 400g to 500g of smoked haddock (two fillets)
  • 300g to 400g of potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 3 rashers of bacon, chopped
  • 2 tbsp of butter
  • 600ml of whole milk
  • 1 onion or 1 leek, finely chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Handful of finely chopped parsley and/or chives
    Salt and pepper to taste

 

METHOD:

  1. Pour milk into a large saucepan. Add the haddock, bay leaf, and a touch of pepper.
    Bring the milk to a very slight boil, simmer the fish for 5 minutes then remove from the heat.
  2. In a separate pot melt the butter then add the onion/leeks and bacon. Cook until the onion/leeks soften.
  3. Add the cubed potatoes to the onion/leek and bacon and cook for 5 minutes until the potatoes start to soften.
  4. Remove the fish from the milk, and put the fillets to the side.
  5. Add the milk to the onion/leek, bacon and potato and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through. Add the parsley/chives.
  6. Add in the fish in flakes or chunks, make sure that it is cooked through and simmer if necessary.
  7. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

 

Fish Pie

Fish pie is a wonderfully tasty and easy midweek meal that is quick to cook. Perfect for using up any type of fish, this recipe is incredibly versatile and can also be made with the addition of prawns. This pie is creamy, rich, and delicately flavoured with mustard and pepper. You can also freeze the pie after adding the mash on top and heat up at a later point in time.

 

INGEDIENTS:

  • 500g to 600g of mixed fish, can be salmon, cod, haddock, cubed and skin removed
  • 1 kg of potatoes, preferably Maris Piper, Golden Wonder, or Red Rooster
  • 600 ml of milk
  • 100g of butter
  • 50g flour
  • 2 tsp of Dijon or English mustard
  • Handful of finely chopped spring onion or chives
  • Handful of peas and/or sweetcorn
  • Handful of grated cheese
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and pepper to taste

 

METHOD:

  1. Preheat oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4.
  2. Peel and cube potatoes.
  3. In a pot, cover the potatoes with water then bring to a boil. Simmer until they are cooked through.
  4. Drain thoroughly, add half the butter and a splash of milk then mash until smooth. Season with a touch of salt and pepper.
  5. Add the rest of the butter into a pot and melt. Add the flour and stir until thoroughly combined.
  6. Gradually pour the rest of the milk into the pot, add the bay leaf and a touch of salt and pepper. Bring to a gradual simmer while stirring to avoid any lumps and cook for a few minutes until thickened. Add the mustard.
  7. Take off the heat, remove the bay leaf and add in the fish, spring onion/chives, and sweetcorn/peas.
  8. Spoon the fish into an oven dish, cover with a layer of the mashed potato, and sprinkle the cheese on top.
  9. Cook for 30 minutes until golden.

 

 

Fish Cakes

Fish cakes are a perfect midweek meal as they are light, healthy, quick and easy to make, and can be frozen ahead of time. If you are planning on freezing them, simply make them up then skip the breadcrumbing step and freeze. When you want to use them you can allow to defrost overnight in the fridge, freshly breadcrumb, then bake.

 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 500g mixed fish
  • 500g floury potatoes
  • 100g flour
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 small onion, finely sliced
  • 200g breadcrumbs
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 heaped tsp of Dijon mustard
  • Splash of milk
  • Handful of parsley, finely chopped
  • Handful of chives, finely chopped
  • Splash of oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Lemon wedges to serve

 

METHOD:

  1. Add your fish to a pot of water, add a dash of milk and bay leaves and bring to a slight boil. Simmer for three to four minutes then remove from the heat and put aside.
  2. In a separate pot, bring salted water to a boil.
  3. Add the potatoes to the salted water. When they are cooked through, drain and add back into the pot to cook off any excess moisture for a few minutes. Mash roughly. Mix with Dijon, parsley, chives, and onion. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Drain your fish and remove the bay leaves.
  5. Flake your fish into the potatoes and form your patties with your hands. You don’t want to overdo this step as you want to avoid breaking up the fish too much.
  6. Allow the fishcakes to cool. At this stage you can put them in the fridge to use later, or you can freeze them.
  7. Preheat your oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4. Beat your eggs and set aside.
  8. On a chopping board scatter your flour, and on a separate board scatter your breadcrumbs.
  9. Carefully lift your patties one by one and dust in flour, then coat in egg, then lightly cover in breadcrumbs. Lay them out on a baking tray.
  10. Add a little oil to a pan and flash fry your fish cakes on either side so that they are turn slightly crispy. You can skip this step and bake them as they are, but this adds a little more texture. You can also cook your fishcakes by frying them for 5 minutes on either side. Place your fishcakes back on the baking tray.
  11. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden. Serve with lemon wedges and squeeze over just before consuming.