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Finnan HaddieThe Scottish have been smoking fish for -- well, forever. One can hardly think of the Scottish lochs without the true Scottish national dish coming to mind (no, not haggis): Finnan Haddie. Finnan haddie is an ancient tradition; rich, cold-water haddock smoked with hardwoods until meltingly tender and exceedingly rich.Its origins are unknown. We can imagine pre-historic Man, having discovered the bounty of the ocean, having too much fish to eat all at once. Perhaps he leaves a fillet of haddock on a spear by his fire and awakes the next morning to discover that the fire has not only preserved the smoked fish, but transformed it into a buttery, rich delicacy. With no tea to drink, he enjoys his new-found treasure by itself, and history is made. The best finnan haddie starts with the best fish: fat, large haddock, freshly caught and processed. Getting from plain haddock to its smoked cousin is a process steeped in tradition, and every smoke-master has his or her own special recipe. However, they all begin with salting or brining the haddock and applying oak, hickory, cherry, or other hardwood smokes until the fish is smoked to its desired point. This process transforms ordinary haddock into a golden, delicate, smoked fish with a wide variety of uses. It is finnan haddie's versatility that makes it so appealing to so many cooks. It should be cooked before it is served, and its gently smoked character lends itself to a variety of methods. Probably the most common of these is poaching the fish in milk (another Scottish tradition), then creating a cream sauce from the poaching liquid to serve over the fish. Finnan haddie is also excellent in fish chowders or simply dot with butter and microwave it for a couple of minutes in a covered dish. The British (the Scottish in particular) love smoked haddock at breakfast. Often combined with eggs (scrambled, in dishes such as Kedgeree and Omelet Arnold Bennett) and toast, finnan haddie is thought to be a hearty and healthy way to start the day. The Scottish -- masters of Scottish smoked salmon, haggis, and of course, finnan haddie - have taken a humble fish like haddock to new heights. From New England shores to Nova Scotia to the icy lochs of Scotland, the MacGregors, MacDonalds, and Stewarts of the world have introduced finnan haddie to a new generation, and the world is better for it. Rich, delicious, versatile, and healthy, finnan haddie is an ancient food that is still extremely relevant in the modern world. Finnan Haddie Boneless Fillets 5 lbs |
