Kippers with Rye Bread and Grilled Cherry Tomatoes

These days kippers are rarely seen on anything other than hotel menus, but this British breakfast classic deserves to be included here, not just for its outstanding flavour, but also for its nutrient value, as kippers are a good source of omega 3 essential fats. All kippers are not equal, however, and avoid the cheap, boil-in-the-bag dyed kippers from the supermarket shelf. Instead, look at the fish counter or go to your local fishmonger to source ‘proper kippers’ that have been smoked – not just coated in artificial smoke flavour – and which are a deep, mahogany colour, not the lurid orange of dyed versions. You can buy ready filleted ones or fillet them yourself after cooking. If you can’t get hold of kippers, you can use sardines or smoked haddock, poached for 4–6 minutes in a pan of barely simmering water until the flesh flakes easily, although the taste is not the same.

Serves 4