Devilish breakfast talk leads to kidneys, KEDGEREE AND KIPPERS

Nothing like offering a little bit of devilish food to start the day I say. It was James Boswell, (1740 – 1795) fondly known as the 9th Laird of Auchinleck – who was born in Edinburgh, the eldest son of a judge.

Apparently, he was a delicate, sickly child, and aged five was packed off to a private school. I can imagine those cold, Victorian dorms, with miserable bowls of porridge for breakfast.

He went on to study law, travelled widely, and became a well-known and highly respected biographer and diarist.

It was James who described “devilling” in the 18th century – referring to spicing food with English mustard, anchovies and Worcestershire sauce.

Devilled kidneys seemed to become a mainstay on Britain’s breakfast menus and were also featured in Gentlemen’s clubs – for supper or high tea.

Kedgeree and kippers were also dishes that featured on menus in the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Kedgeree is made with cooked and flaked fish, traditionally smoked haddock, boiled rice, parsley, hard boiled eggs and curry powder. It can be eaten hot or cold and would have been one of the “exotic” dishes or recipes brought back from India by some of those terribly British officers and their families who spent time in the orient.

I can picture them now, carefully removing their pith helmets, and tucking heartily into a supper (or breakfast) of kedgeree served with a flourish, as the silver cloche is theatrically removed from the serving plate, like a magician’s sleight of hand, revealing the food underneath, much to the delight of the diner’s eyes and nose!

Kippers are similarly a smoked fish – usually a herring or other oily fish – which is butterflied from head to tail, gutted and are much loved for breakfast by the Brits.

Hmm, I hear you say – think I’ll stay with the cornflakes.

Personally, devilled kidneys on toast is an absolute favourite of mine, especially over the colder months. I know that eating offal is not top of the list for many, but I do encourage you to give these a try.

I like to use lamb’s kidneys, and they should be really fresh, springy to touch.

Calves kidneys also have a delicate flavour, whereas the kidney of larger cattle, goats and the like would be too strongly flavoured.

Many celebrity chefs feature kidneys in their repertoire – with most seeming to prefer to leaving the kidney shape intact, only slicing them in half before sautéing or grilling.

You will rarely buy kidneys still with the outer casing of suet, but sometimes they do still have the very fine outer membrane attached.

Remove this together with the fatty core of the kidney, which can be a little chewy. Are you still with me? I hope so!

Combined with some bacon, a good slurp of either sherry or red wine, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lots of freshly cracked black pepper – you can even ramp up the heat a little with a very small pinch of cayenne pepper – I can guarantee you that for a good, hearty winter breakfast, nothing beats devilled kidneys!

I acknowledge that offal is certainly not to everyone’s liking, and let me say right up front, I reckon life’s too short to eat tripe!

And yes, I have eaten tripe, it’s just that I think there are always too many other types of offal I’d rather eat. And, of course, good ol’ steak and kidney pies made with Guinness should be on your agenda soon. Go on, be a devil, try some offal soon!