A Finnan haddie is a haddock that has been cured with the smoke of green wood or peat.[1] They are usually said to have originated in Findon, a fishing village south of Aberdeen,[2][3] though an alternative tradition traces them to Findhorn in Moray.[1]
Although known and admired in Scotland for a long time, Finnan haddies became a popular food item in London only in the 1830s. In earlier times, because of the light smoking that the fish received, they did not have a long shelf life—three days at most, by most contemporary estimates (although some suggested no more than one day).[4][3] Thus, although the fish was often available in Aberdeen within twelve hours of being caught, the distance to London was at that time insurmountable if spoilage was to be avoided.[5] The fish started making its first appearances in London when shipped by established mail coach, but became widely available with the construction of the railway link connecting Aberdeen to London in the 1840s.
Finnan has a long association with the traditional Scottish fish soup Cullen skink, and most old Scottish recipe books cite Finnan haddie as the smoked haddock to be used for this dish.[citation needed]
The traditional preparation is to roast or grill the whole pieces of fish over high heat.[4] Finnan haddie is also often served poached in milk for breakfast[6] and is an important part of traditional kedgeree and the Arnold Bennett omelette.[7]
See also
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References
edit- ^ a b "finnan". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/OED/4833800020. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
- ^ "finnan". Scottish National Dictionary. Dictionaries of the Scots Language. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
- ^ a b Anonymous (1839). The Book of Bon-Accord: or, A Guide to the City of Aberdeen. Aberdeen: Lewis Smith. p. 17.
- ^ a b McCulloch, John Ramsay (1843). McCulloch's Universal Gazetteer: A Dictionary, Geographical, Statistical and Historical of the Various Countries, Places and Principal Natural Objects in the World. Volume 1. New York: Harper Brothers. p. 909.
- ^ Anonymous (1842). The Topographical, Statistical, and Historical Gazetteer of Scotland. Vol. 1. Glasgow: A. Fullarton & Co. pp. 553–554.
- ^ For many families, milk poached finnan haddie is a traditional Christmas breakfast, served with fried scones. In many areas of America finnan haddie is only available in grocery stores in the week or two before Christmas. Full recipe for Finnan Haddie from Scottish chef John Quigley Archived 2007-10-24 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Dahl, Sophie. "Arnold Bennett Omelette". BBC Food Recipes. BBC. Retrieved 21 January 2012.