Grilled Kippers with Lemon recipe

Grilled Kippers with Lemon and Parsley Butter

After Edward VIII had abdicated, and was waiting, in exile, to marry Mrs Simpson at Château de Condé, he still craved a taste of home. So he had Fortnum's send down its Craster kippers (from Northumberland, with a strong oak smoke) every morning by plane. And no wonder, considering the sublime scent of grilled kippers (and not to mention the flavourful taste).

Ingredients

Serves 2

2 kippers

A little olive oil

For the lemon and parsley butter

50g softened unsalted butter

A small bunch of curly parsley, finely chopped

1 lemon

How to Cook

STEP 1

Put the butter into a small bowl and beat in the parsley. Add the zest of a quarter of the lemon, then cut the lemon in half, squeeze the juice from one half and beat that in too. Taste the butter and add more lemon zest or juice if you like.

STEP 2

Heat the grill and line the grill pan with foil. Place the kippers on its skin-side down and brush them lightly with olive oil. Grill for 6-8 minutes, then transfer to serving plates and top each kipper with a spoonful of the lemon and parsley butter.

STEP 3

Serve with the remaining lemon half, cut in two, and some brown or granary toast.