finnan haddie

[Pleater]

My local supermarket ran out of haggis as the lorries could not make it down from the frozen North due to the snow, so looking for something suitable for Burns' night I bought some lightly smoked haddock to seethe in milk for my supper. It brought back memories of my mother doing the same thing - though the modern stuff is just stained yellow and the smoky smell is a powder and not the pukka treatment, but the taste was near enough.

I wondered if anyone else has a taste for this Scottish delicacy.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[Chas]

It certainly triggers a memory. I can remember my mother cooking things in milk, but what it was, I have no recollection. We used to get liver cooked in milk, when I was in the RAF - melt in your mouth, almost like a pate.

Just asked Margaret and she says that she has never cooked any savoury in milk - ever.

I wonder if it is a style of cooking that has gone out of fashion?

Regards

Chas

[Grizzly]

When I was a boy, my parents were always cooking smoked haddock by poaching it in milk, it always used to create a stink in the kitchen but always tasted lovely. Funny but I never cook it at home now but if I see it in a restaurant I will always choose it from the menu.

[Cecil]

I prefer Cullen Skink!

[Laird_M]

Ah, memory lane.
I remembe my mother doing the same. Never eat it these days...

[Tony]

I remember my mother doing the same. I always hated it. she swears she's never ever ever poached smoked fish in milk.

[Pleater]

There is a difference between seethe - which is boiling, and poaching, which is just off the boil for more delicate items - one would poach an egg, for instance and get a smooth surface but seething it would result in lumps and bumps due to the disturbance of the liquid.

To seethe with anger is the same origin, anger boiling up from within.

There is of course the most poignant commandment - 'thou shall not seethe the kid in its mother's milk'.

With the fish, the smell and taste of the smoking is reduced by the milk more than if it was just cooked in water. An increased effect is gained if a little butter is added, as the fat seems to help clean the surface of the fish, and the fish should be either covered completely or turned over during cooking for maximum effect. Putting the fish into warm water before cooking would also reduce the smokiness, as would using two lots of milk - but the smell and taste of the smoke is pretty pervasive, I must admit.

[sydnie7]

Reminds me of [IIRC] Garrison Keillor's reference to the "Legalize Lutefisk" bumper sticker

I have enjoyed salmon straight from the smoker and smoked albacore from a certain SoCal restaurant. I suspect these are a more delicate version of the smoked swimmers discussed here -- and I'll stick with them, paired with crackers and a nice cold adult beverage.

The only "with milk" dish I recall from childhood was white bread torn up and soaked in cold milk as a "sickbed" meal.

[imrichmond]

This thread brings to mind my maternal grandfather's joy one spring long ago when he was given a couple of cases of long-expired tinned finnan haddie. Grandpa was an avid gardener and his face lit up as he explained that this was the best fertilizer possible for his tomato plants.

Nevertheless, he was, and I am still, very fond of smoked fish, especially kippers.

[Peter Crowe]

My father always cooks Finnan Haddies in milk with poached eggs also poached in the milk and toast and butter on the side. Done properly it is delicious traditional Scots fare :-) Good quality smoked haddock should not be dyed yellow!