Arbroath smokie is a small smoked whole haddock from Scotland. Pilaf is a method of cooking rice on the hob, with spices. Together they sing.
The smokies
I have sung the praise of Arbroath smokies previously, the whole small haddock fish smoked in Scotland over smoking pits. They are smoked and sold whole, and look very inconspicuous with brown, leathery skin, threaded in twos on a piece of string.
The best way to approach them is to open the fish like a book and peel chunks of flesh off the skin and, hopefully, off the bone. Some small bones will cling to the flakes so you need to take care when eating, but that's the beauty of whole smoked fish. Think of all the healthy omega-acids it contains instead.
If you can’t get Arbroath smokies where you live, don’t lose heart: any other flaky smoked fish will do too in this dish.
The pilaf
Pilaf is the way of cooking rice initially in a little hot oil before it is boiled in stock or plain water. It makes the rice super-fluffy when it's cooked and fragrant with whatever aromatics have been sizzling in the oil before rice grains were added.
And anyway everything always tastes better when it’s seared, browned, fried or scorched before being dunked in water.
Arbroath smokie rice pilaf
The dish is a cross between pilaf, kedgeree and ‘rice with things’. I add the dried fruit for the whiff of Middle Eastern flavours, the cayenne and peppercorns to heat up the rice and the dill, frankly, for the colour.
It works really well; quite incredible how well the smoked fish teams up with sweetish flavours. But it can also be a play by ear kind of recipe and adapted to the flavours you fancy and what is available in your fridge.