Finnan Haddie with a Nova Scotian Twist

The kilted chef wears a green apron and yellow glaseses while holding the dish finnan caddie on a white plate. He is in his kitchen.

Calling all haddock lovers! This traditional recipe is a great, hearty meal for the winter months. With a splash of white wine from one of Nova Scotia’s beautiful vineyards, it will taste just like home.

Ingredients

6 slices of double smoked bacon (diced)
8 hard boiled eggs
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp butter
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups 35% cream
1 cup 2% milk
1 tsp hot sauce
1 tsp dried mustard
3 (approx. 1 1/2 lbs) haddock fillets
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
2 green onions, diced
1/4 cup flour
1 oz NS white wine
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
to taste fresh lemon

Directions

Serves: 4

  1. Saute diced bacon over medium-high heat until crispy and set aside.
  2. Place eggs into a heavy bottom saucepan. Cover with warm water, place over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. Once water has boiled, turn heat off, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes.
  3. Rinse cooked eggs under cold water and peel.
  4. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in heavy bottom saucepan and add diced onions. Saute until soft and translucent, but do not brown. Add milk, cream, hot sauce, and dried mustard. Bring to a hard simmer.
  5. Cut each haddock fillet into 3 pieces. Begin by placing thicker loin parts into pan, poach for 1 minute, then add thinner pieces and continue to poach for 4 minutes total.
  6. Remove fish from pan, set aside, and stir in parsley and green onions.
  7. While fish is poaching, melt 1/2 cup of butter into saucepan. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of flour and mix until well combined, creating a blonde roux.
  8. Once roux is cooked, began adding it to the cream mixture, a few tablespoons at a time. Continue stirring until the sauce is slightly thickened and coats back of the spoon.
  9. Cut boiled eggs into quarters and add them to the sauce along with the fish, bacon, white wine, and salt and pepper. Gently stir everything and warm over low heat until everything is heated through.
  10. Cut crusty bread into slices, toast, and butter.
  11. Place toasted bread on a plate and spoon the Finnan Haddie on top. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon and garnish with green onions and parsley as desired.


Local Source Guide

Bacon: Masstown Butcher, Meadowbrook Meat Market, The Pork Shop

Haddock: Fisherman’s Market International, A.C. Covert Distributors, Evan’s Fresh Seafoods & Restaurant, Afishionado Fishmongers, Clearwater Seafoods Retail Store

Hot sauce: Look for Mad Gringo Hot Sauce at your local grocery retailer.

Produce: Noggins Corner Farm MarketStirling Fruit Farms Ltd., Masstown Market, or one of the many Farmers Markets of Nova Scotia. 

Wine: Jost VineyardsPetite Riviere VineyardsBlomidon Estate WineryBenjamin BridgeAvondale Sky WineryCasa Nova Fine BeveragesGrand Pre WinesGaspereau VineyardsLuckett VineyardsLightfoot & Wolfville VineyardsL’Acadie VineyardsPlanters Ridge WinerySainte Famille Wines, Lunenburg County Winery.

Recipe provided by: The Kilted Chef, Alain Bosse

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