Non-VegetarianScottish cuisine Breakfast

Moray Firth Grilled Kippers

Name: Moray Firth Grilled Kippers
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 18 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Scottish
Ingredients: 4 whole whole scottish kippers; 50 g salted scottish butter; 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1 pinch Cayenne pepper; 1 tbsp Fresh lemon juice; 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley; 1 whole Lemon; 4 slices scottish brown bread; 30 g extra salted butter

Rich cold-smoked Moray Firth kippers grilled under bubbling salted butter, served sizzling hot with fresh lemon and crusty bread.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· North East Scotland

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 8 min
Total: 18 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 380 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

4 whole whole scottish kippers — butterflied cold-smoked herring, approx 200g each
50 g salted scottish butter — cubed, for grilling
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper — coarse grind
1 pinch Cayenne pepper — for gentle heat
1 tbsp Fresh lemon juice — freshly squeezed
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley — finely chopped
1 whole Lemon — cut into wedges to serve
4 slices scottish brown bread — thick-cut, for serving
30 g extra salted butter — softened, for spreading on bread

Equipment

•Overhead grill
•Grill pan or baking tray
•Aluminium foil
•Kitchen scissors
•Fish slice

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 380 kcal
fat: 20 g
carbs: 18 g
fibre: 2 g
protein: 32 g
calories: 380 kcal

Instructions

1
Preheat the overhead grill to its highest setting.
2
Line a heavy baking tray or grill pan with aluminium foil.
3
Snip off the sharp tail fins and heads using kitchen scissors if preferred.
4
Place the butterflied kippers skin-side up on the prepared baking tray.
5
Grill the kippers skin-side up for three minutes until the skin bubbles.
6
Carefully flip each kipper flesh-side up using a wide fish slice.
7
Dot the flesh evenly with the cubes of salted Scottish butter.
8
Season the fish with black pepper, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice.
9
Grill under high heat for four to five minutes until the butter foams.
10
Scatter chopped fresh parsley over the hot kippers straight away.
11
Serve immediately alongside thick buttered brown bread and fresh lemon wedges.

Chef's tips

Always grill kippers skin-side first to render natural oils and prevent the flesh from drying out. Kippers are cured with salt, so do not add extra salt before cooking. If you wish to reduce cooking smells indoors, you can jug kippers by standing them head-down in a tall pitcher of boiling water for ten minutes.

Ingredient substitutions

whole Scottish kippers → vacuum-packed kipper fillets or whole cold-smoked Arbroath smokies
Scottish brown bread → traditional Scottish oatcakes or plain white soda farls

Storage

Store leftover grilled kippers wrapped tightly in greaseproof paper and foil in the fridge for up to two days.

Reheating

Reheat gently under a medium grill for two minutes dotted with a knob of fresh butter.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Overcooking the fish under the grill, which makes the delicate oily flesh tough and dry.
•Adding table salt before tasting, since cured kippers are naturally salted during the smoking process.
•Failing to line the grill pan, making fish oil cleanup difficult.

Serving suggestions

Serve hot with thick slices of heavily buttered Scottish brown bread.Pair with soft-poached free-range eggs and a strong pot of Scottish breakfast tea.Squeeze fresh lemon wedges over the rich fish to balance the smoky oiliness.