Entree: Isle of Man – Manx Kippers (Split, salted, and cold-smoked whole herring traditionally served hot with butter and lemon)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 10 min

Cook 7 min

Total 20 min

Ingredients

- 4 whole Manx kippers, approx. 4 oz (115 g) each
- 4 tbsp (60 g) unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh parsley, chopped
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Pat the kippers dry with paper towels and score the skin lightly on the thicker portions to prevent curling.
2. Heat a large heavy skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter until foaming.
3. Place kippers skin-side down and cook 3–4 minutes without moving to crisp the skin; baste with butter, then carefully flip and cook 2–3 minutes more until heated through. (If using a broiler, place kippers skin-side up on a foil-lined tray and broil 3–5 minutes, basting with melted butter, until hot and slightly crisped.)
4. In the same pan, add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the sliced onion; sauté 2–3 minutes until softened and lightly caramelized, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
5. Transfer kippers to plates, spoon the buttered onions over the fish, season with freshly ground black pepper, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve immediately with lemon wedges.