Arbroath smokie hash with fried egg

Serves 4

Arbroath on the east coast of Scotland is famous for its smokies. The hot-smoked haddock (whole apart from their heads) were not so long ago given Protected Geographical Status by the European Union. I recently came back from a trip to Spinks smokehouse in Arbroath with a couple of packets of their smokies, which were a subtle shade of yellow, not that bright artificial buttercup colour that comes from dye. Smoked haddock is a traditional breakfast dish, and I do love a corned beef hash. Using the smokies in a hash seemed like a good way to marry the two ideas.

You can eat this with or without a fried egg, but I think the egg really makes it.

2 large baking potatoes, boiled in their skins until cooked but firm, and peeled
2 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 Arbroath smokie, weighing around 250g, skinned and boned, or the same weight of undyed smoked haddock fillet
2tsp freshly grated horseradish
1tbsp chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for frying
A good knob of butter
4 eggs

Gently cook the onion in a little vegetable oil for 5-6 minutes with a lid on, stirring every so often, season, add a little butter and continue cooking with a lid off until they just begin to colour, then transfer to a bowl.

Coarsely grate the potatoes and add to the onions with the flaked smokie flesh. Add the horseradish and parsley, season and then mix well.

You can make individual hashes if you have one of those tiny non-stick egg pans, or make one large one and cut it afterwards.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan, preferably non stick, add the mixture and shape it into a cake with a spatula.

Let the hash cook for 4-5 minutes until it begins to colour nicely underneath then flip it over like a pancake. Or turn it out by inverting it on to a plate then heating a little more oil in the pan and sliding the hash back into the pan. Cook for another 4-5 minutes.

Meanwhile fry the eggs and serve on top of the hash.