Non-VegetarianNorth East English cuisine Breakfast

Grilled Craster Kippers with Brown Bread

Name: Grilled Craster Kippers with Brown Bread
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 13 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: North East English
Ingredients: 4 whole craster kippers; 50 g salted butter; 0.25 tsp Black pepper; 1 pinch Cayenne pepper; 8 slices wholemeal brown bread; 40 g salted butter; 1 whole Lemon; 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley

Rich, oak-smoked Northumberland kippers grilled in melting butter until bubbling, served alongside thick-cut buttered brown bread and fresh lemon wedges.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· North East England

Prep: 5 min
Cook: 8 min
Total: 13 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 485 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

4 whole craster kippers — butterflied (split open along the back and gutted)
50 g salted butter — softened, for the fish
¼ tsp Black pepper — freshly ground
1 pinch Cayenne pepper — optional warmth
8 slices wholemeal brown bread — thickly sliced farmhouse loaf
40 g salted butter — at room temperature, for spreading
1 whole Lemon — cut into wedges
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley — finely chopped

Equipment

•Grill pan
•Tin foil
•Fish slice
•Bread knife

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 485 kcal
fat: 25 g
carbs: 32 g
fibre: 4 g
protein: 34 g
calories: 485 kcal

Instructions

1
Line a grill pan with tin foil and preheat the overhead grill to medium-high.
2
Open out the butterflied kippers skin-side up onto the prepared grill pan.
3
Grill the kippers skin-side up for two minutes until the skin begins to blister.
4
Turn the kippers flesh-side up carefully using a fish slice.
5
Dot each kipper evenly with the softened salted butter.
6
Dust the fish lightly with freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of cayenne.
7
Grill flesh-side up for five to six minutes until the butter bubbles and the flesh is golden.
8
Spread the thick brown bread slices generously with room-temperature salted butter.
9
Transfer the kippers to warmed plates and pour the buttery pan drippings over each fish.
10
Scatter with chopped parsley and serve immediately with the buttered brown bread and lemon wedges.

Chef's tips

Always cook kippers under a medium grill rather than high heat so the natural fish oils stay succulent without charring. Pouring the melted butter drippings from the pan back onto the fish brings out the best oak smoke flavours.

Ingredient substitutions

Craster kippers → traditional oak-smoked Manx kippers or Loch Fyne kippers
salted butter → dairy-free block butter
wholemeal brown bread → seeded rye bread or gluten-free brown bread

Storage

Cooked kippers are best enjoyed freshly grilled, but leftovers can be kept in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two days.

Reheating

Reheat gently flesh-side up under a low grill with an extra knob of butter for two to three minutes until warm.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Grilling at excessive heat, which dries out the oily flesh and burns the cure.
•Leaving behind the buttery grill drippings instead of spooning them over the fish.
•Failing to warn diners of fine, soft herring pin bones that naturally run through kippers.

Serving suggestions

Serve alongside a freshly brewed pot of loose-leaf English breakfast tea.Top with a soft poached free-range egg for a traditional country breakfast.Offer Worcestershire sauce or hot English mustard on the table.