Kippers with Mustard Butter and Guinness Bread

Kippers with Mustard Butter

Kippers & Mustard Butter…..I remember as a child going with my mother to buy kippers on the Belfast’s Newtownards Road. At the time, kippers were one of the few fish the average working class family could afford. I’ve always loved them for their rich, very distinctive flavour.

Kipper is the word for the process in which the common herring is salted, dried in the open air and then smoked. This ancient British tradition dates back to the mid-19th century. Kippers & Mustard Butter
Ingredients / 4 kippers 4 slices of Guinness Bread – 4 slices mustard butter (see below)

Ingredients / Mustard Butter
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp white wine
1 shallot finely diced
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
125g Butter
1 tsp chives finely chopped 2 tsp double cream
Method / Mustard Butter Place vinegar and white wine into a pot with shallots, reduce over high heat by half and pass through a fine sieve. Put all other ingredients in a food processor, add the vinegar, mix and blend until smooth. Scrapeout and roll in cling film, and set into the fridge until set.

Guinness Bread
Dry Mix 500g wholemeal flour
120g plain flour
110g porridge oats
2 1⁄2 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp salt
1tsp baking soda
Wet Mix 300ml Guinness 350ml milk 100g butter 75ml maple syrup

Method
Place all the dry mix into a large mixing bowl and mix. Put all wet ingredients into a pot and bring to a gentle simmer, do not boil. Now mix into dry mix. Place into a 2lb loaf tin which has been well greased. Cook at 190c for 35 minutes and place on a wirerack to cool

Grill kippers for 5 minutes, toast Guinness bread, place mustard butter on kippers and serve with lemon wedges

Source: Chef Stephen Jeffers