Peter's Recipe Thread

[peterj]

Traditional Scottish Recipes
- Shepherd's Pie

In a land where sheep were a main food supply, it is not surprising that mutton and lamb form the basis of many Scottish dishes. Here is the traditional "Shepherd's Pie" - the variant based on beef is usually called "Cottage Pie".


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Ingredients:
Minced lamb - 450g (1 lb)
Potatoes - 700g (1½ lb)
Large onion
Mushrooms - 50g (2 oz)
Bay leaf
2 Carrots
Plain flour - 25g (1 oz)
Tomato puree - 1 tbsp
Butter - 25g (1 oz)
Milk - 4 tbsp
Lamb or beef stock - 300ml (½ pint)
Cheese - 50g (2 oz)

Method:
Dry fry the lamb with the chopped onion, bay leaf, sliced mushrooms and diced carrots for 8-10 minutes. Add the flour and stir for a minute. Slowly blend in the stock and tomato puree. Cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens and boils. Cover and simmer gently for 25 minutes. Remove the bayleaf and place in a 1.7 litre (3 pint) ovenproof serving dish.

At the same time, cook the potatoes in boiling water for 20 minutes until tender. Drain well, mash with the butter and milk and mix well. Spread on top of the mince mixture and sprinkle over with the grated cheese.

Bake for 15-20 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 200C/400F (Gas Mark 6). Serve hot with green vegetables

I tend to leave out the tomato, but I also mix additional cheese and a good dollop of mixed herbs into the potato topping mix. ( The flavour difference must be great - when Mum was In hospital I made it that way for Dad and on Mum's return there was a hell of an argument starting with Dad asking why Mum made him the basic version and taught me the nice, fancy and tasty version. They both got a cooking lesson that evening as I had to make it in front of them and explain the changes I had made. ) A handful or two of mixed vege can also be cooked into the mince to meet "5+" a day.

[peterj]

Traditional Scottish Recipes
- Diet Loaf

Here is a very light sponge which was known in the days of Sir Walter Scott (he mentions it in his novel "St Ronan's Well").



Ingredients:
One pound caster sugar (granulated sugar)
8 ounces soft butter
6 eggs (size 3)
12 ounces (350g - nearly 4 cups) sifted plain flour (all purpose in the US)
Half teaspoon ground cinnamon
Finely grated lemon peel

Method:
Whisk the eggs thoroughly. Cream the butter and sugar to make it light and frothy and slowly beat in the whisked eggs. Add the lemon rind and cinnamon and then gradually beat in the flour, beating continually to ensure the mixture is kept light.
Line a large cake tin with well greased paper (vegetable parchment in the US) and pour in the mixture. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375F/190C/Gas Mark 5 for 35 minutes until golden brown and well risen. You can sprinkle icing sugar (frosting) on top five minutes before removing it from the oven. Allow to cool for ten minutes before removing from the tin and cool on a wire rack. Some people add a layer of icing (frosting) to the top once it is cold - but that is rather at variance with the title of "Diet Loaf".

[peterj]

Traditional Scottish Recipes
- St Fillan's Fruit Pudding

St Fillan's is a Perthshire village at the eastern end of Loch Earn. Here is a recipe which originated many years ago in the Scottish Women's Rural Institute. The quantities are sufficient for 4/6 people, depending on appetites!



Ingredients:
4 oz (125g or one cup) flour
2 oz (50g or third of a cup) fine granulated sugar
Half teaspoon baking soda
Half teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
1.5oz (40g or less than half a stick) butter or margarine
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
One pound stewed fruit (eg apples, pear, rhubarb, gooseberries or figs etc)

Method:
Mix together the dry ingredients and then rub in the butter. Mix (but don't beat) the white and yolk of the eggs, make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add the eggs. Mix to a thick batter adding milk as required.

Place the stewed fruit along with their juices in the foot of an oven-proof dish. Drop in the batter on top in spoonfuls.
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375F (190C or Gas Mark 5) for half an hour or until the paste has risen and turned golden and cooked through. Serve warm or cold.

Very nice, but - Double the ingredients, butter the cooking dish, put half the paste in, put fruit in and top with the remaining paste. Makes a nice cooked fruit sandwhich which will take a far bit of thickened sweetened cream on top of it or maybe some of the Drambuie Ice Cream from up above here.

[peterj]

Traditional Scottish Recipes
- Tweed Kettle

This is sometimes called Salmon Hash and was popular in Edinburgh in the 19th century.


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Ingredients:
2lbs fresh salmon, preferably from the tail end
2 chopped shallots or 1 tablespoon of chopped chives
Salt, pepper, pinch of ground mace
Quarter pint water
Quarter pint (150ml) dry white wine
4 Ounces chopped mushrooms
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Method:
Put the fish in a pan, just covered with water and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for five minutes. Remove fish from the pan (keep the stock), remove skin and bone and cut the fish into 2 inch squares. Season with salt, pepper and mace and put into a clean dish with a quarter pint of the fish stock plus the wine and finely chopped shallot or chives. Cover the dish and simmer gently for about 20 minutes.

Heat up the butter and soften the mushrooms in it, drain and add to the salmon and heat together for another five minutes. Serve with chopped parsley.

[peterj]

Traditional Scottish Recipes
- Paradise Cake

This is an easy to prepare recipe as it is based on shortcrust pastry which you can obtain from the supermarket (unless you want to make your own).



Ingredients:
8 oz shortcrust pastry
Raspberry jam
4 oz margarine
4 oz caster sugar (4 rounded tablespoons granulated sugar)
1 beaten egg
2 tablespoons chopped glacé cherries
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons ground almonds
Vanilla essence (extract)
Caster sugar (granulated sugar) for dusting

Method:
Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and use it to line a greased 11 inch by 7 inch baking tin. Bake this initially on its own in a pre-heated oven for ten minutes at 350F/175C/Gas Mark 4. Cream the margarine and sugar together and stir in a beaten egg, cherries, walnuts and almonds. Add the vanilla essence/extract and mix well. Spread a layer of raspberry jam on the bottom of the pastry case (after the ten minute baking) and spoon in the mixture on top of the jam. Bake for 30/35 minutes. On removing it from the oven, sprinkle with sugar and leave to cool in the tin. When it is cold, remove from the tin and cut into squares.

[peterj]

Traditional Scottish Recipes
- Black Bun

This is a traditional recipe for a treat which is often eaten at the end of the year at Hogmanay. But it needs to be made several weeks in advance so that it can mature. Indeed, it can be kept for up to six months if kept in an airtight container. Don't be put off by the formidable list of ingredients. It is relatively easy to make and every cook has his or her own variations on the ingredients.



Ingredients for Pastry Case:
12 oz plain flour (3 cups)
3 oz lard (6 tablespoons)
3 oz butter or margarine (6 tablespoons)
(Note that if you don't want to use lard, increase the butter/margarine by an equivalent amount)
Pinch of salt
Half teaspoon baking powder
Cold water

Ingredients for Filling:
1 lb seedless raisins (2¾ cups)
1 lb cleaned currants (2¾ cups
2 oz chopped, blanched almonds (Third of a cup)
2 oz chopped mixed peel (¼ cup)
6 oz plain flour (1½ cups)
3 oz soft brown sugar (Third of a cup)
One level teaspoon ground allspice
Half level teaspoon each of ground ginger, ground cinnamon, baking powder
Generous pinch of black pepper
One tablespoon brandy
One large, beaten egg
Milk to moisten

Method:
Grease an 8-inch loaf tin. Rub the fats into the flour and salt and then mix in enough cold water to make a stiff dough (remember, it is going to line the tin). Roll out the pastry and cut into six pieces, using the bottom, top and four sides of the tin as a rough guide. Press the bottom and four side pieces into the tin, pressing the overlaps to seal the pastry shell.
Mix the raisins, currants, almonds, peel and sugar together. Sift in the flour, all the spices and baking powder and bind them together using the brandy and almost all the egg and add enough milk to moisten.
Pack the filling into the lined tin and add the pastry lid, pinching the edges and using milk or egg to seal really well. Lightly prick the surface with a fork and make four holes to the bottom of the tin with a skewer. Depress the centre slightly (it will rise as it cooks).
Brush the top with milk or the rest of the egg to create a glaze.
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 325F/160C/Gas Mark 3 for 2½ to 3 hours. Test with a skewer which should come out clean; if not, continue cooking. An uncooked cake sizzles if you listen closely!
Cool in the tin and then turn onto a wire rack. Cool thoroughly before storing until Hogmanay.

[peterj]

Traditional Scottish Recipes
- Butterscotch

That sweet tooth for which Scots have a reputation means that there are many traditional confectionary recipes. But quite why a brittle sweet (candy) made from butter and sugar should be named "Scotch" is lost in the mists of time.

The ingredients below will make about one pound (450g) of butterscotch.



Ingredients:
One pound (500g or 2½ cups) granulated sugar
Quarter pint (150ml or two-thirds of a cup) water
3 ounces (90g or ¾ stick) unsalted (sweet) butter
One teaspoon (5ml) lemon juice
Quarter teaspoon (1.5ml) cream of tartar
Quarter teaspoon (1.5ml) vanilla essence (extract)
Oil for greasing a baking tin (pan)

Method:
Well oil an 11" x 7" (28cm x 18cm) shallow baking tin (pan). Put thw ater and lemon juice in a heavy-based saucepan and heat until slightly warm. Stir in the sugar and continue to heat gently, stirring with awooden spoon, until all the sugar has been thoroughly dissolved. Don't allow it to boil.

Stir in the cream of tartar and bring to the boil to 115C/242F on a sugar thermometer (or until a teaspoon ful of the mixture forms a soft ball when it is dropped into a cup of cold water.

Remove from the heat and beat in the butter. Return to the heat and boil to 138C/280F or when a teaspoon of the mixture forms a thin thread when dropped into a cup of cold water. (The thread will bend and break when pressed between the fingers)

Remove from the heat and beat in the vanilla essence (extract). Pour into the oiled tin and leave until it is almost set. Then mark into small rectangles with a knife. When it is competely set, break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

[peterj]

Bram Brack
another version of Soul Cakes with fruit and yeast. Takes more work than the other Soul Cake recipe I posted. From the book: Barm Brack; From Theodora Fitzgibbon, A Taste of Ireland, London: Weidenfeld and Nicholson, 1944, 1994
by Porro Absentis

12 servings
2 hours 1 hour prep
4 cups flour
1 cup milk, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sultanas (white raisins)
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 cake yeast
1 cup dried currants
1/2 cup candied orange peel
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg

Sift flour, spices, and salt together, then rub in the butter. Cream the yeast with 1 teaspoon of the sugar and 1 teaspoon of the milk. Allow to froth.
Add the rest of the sugar to the flour mixture and blend well. Add the milk and beaten egg onto the yeast mixture and combine with flour mixture.
Beat well with a spoon or with the dough hook of an electric mixer for about 5 minutes, or until stiff but elastic.
Fold in dried fruit and peel, cover with a cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled.
Divide in half and place each in a greased 7” cake tin. Cover and let rise again for 30 minutes.
Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 1 hour, or until it tests done.
Glaze top with 1 tablespoon sugar dissolved in 2 tablespoons boiling water and return to oven for 3 minutes.
Cool on wire rack. Serve in slices, buttered. If stale, toast and serve buttered.

[peterj]

Whelsh Rarebit

You Will Need:
4 slices of bread

5oz ceddar cheese
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp of worcestershire sauce
1 package of mushrooms
Butter or Margarine


1. Grate the cheese, and mix with the mustard and worcestershire sauce.

2. saaute the mushrooms with the butter until slightly brown and warm and set the oven to broil.

3. place the saaute mushrooms on each 4 pieces of bread and add the mixture on top of it and put it in the oven until the cheese is melted or if it becomes golden brown.

4. Enjoy

[peterj]

BBQ Braised Fresh Pork Belly


Yield: 4 portions
Fresh pork belly, cut into 4 oz rectangles 1 lb.
BBQ spice rub, or your favorite Cajun seasoning 2 oz.
Chicken broth 2 cups
Soy sauce, low sodium 1 cup
Water 1 cup
Orange zest (dried is ok) 2 Tbsp.
Whole garlic cloves 4

1. Rub the belly with the seasoning and let the flavors marry for 1 to 2 hours, under refrigeration.
2. Sear the pork in a non-stick pan on all sides to a deep golden brown.
3. Combine the chicken broth, soy, water, garlic and orange and bring to a simmer.
4. Place the bellies in a roasting pan, pour the liquid in, making sure it reaches the half way point up the pork.
5. Cook, covered tightly with aluminum foil, for 3 to 4 hours, or until fork tender, in a 325 degree oven. Slow cook ovens and crock pots work great, just extend the cook time to 7 or 8 hours.
6. Strain the cooking liquid , skim off the fat, and it can be used to flavor BBQ sauce, or thickened and used as a glaze.

[peterj]

My preferred BBQ Pork Belly recipe

The best way to treat good quality belly pork with respect when grilling it on a bbq is to do as little as possible with it. Just add salt. Yes, that's right. Do nothing else but score it well [on the skin] and rub the salt all over, put on a very hot bbq and let it cook away [keeping an eye on it - ocassionally turning - don't let it burn] until the meat is cooked and the skin is golden, slightly charred and crispy. Very crispy. Crackling crispy.

Can also be oven grilled.

Place prepared BBQ Pork Belly - skin side up - in a pan with a little water in it, possibly a bit of garlick, and place about half way down oven. Grill on high until meat is cooked. ( should be cripsy skin and soft moist meat )

[peterj]

Traditional Scottish Recipes
- Forfar Bridies

These are said to have been made by a travelling food seller, Maggie Bridie of Glamis (in the days when the county of Angus was called Forfarshire). They were mentioned by J M Barrie (author of Peter Pan) who was born in Kirriemuir in that county. The original recipe used suet but since that is not always to everyone's taste, you can use butter or margarine.



Ingredients (for six bridies):
1½ lbs (700g) boneless, lean rump steak. Lean minced beef can also be used.
2 oz (2 rounded tablespoons) suet or butter or margarine
1 (or 2) onion, chopped finely
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
Quarter cup rich beef stock
Salt and pepper to taste
1½ lbs flaky pastry (home made or from a pastry mix packet)

Method:
Remove any fat or gristle from the meat and beat with a meat bat or rolling pin. Cut into half-inch (1cm) pieces and place in a medium bowl. Add the salt/pepper, mustard, chopped onion, suet (or butter/margarine) and stock and mix well.
Prepare the pastry and divide the pastry and meat mixture into six equal portions. Roll each pastry portion into a circle about six inches in diameter and about quarter of an inch thick and place a portion of the mixture in the centre. Leave an edge of pastry showing all round. Brush the outer edge of half the pastry circle with water and fold over. Crimp the edges together well. The crimped edges should be at the top of each bridie. Make a small slit in the top (to let out any steam). Brush a 12 inch square (or equivalent area) baking tray with oil and place the bridies in this, ensuring that they are not touching. Place in a pre-heated oven at 450F/230C/gas mark 8 for 15 minutes then reduce the temperature to 350F/180C/gas mark 4 and cook for another 45/55 minutes. They should be golden brown and if they are getting too dark, cover with greaseproof paper (vegetable parchment).



No, these are not Cornish Pasties - which must contain Swede and have a sweet course at one end - these are just the meat mix throughout.

[peterj]

Traditional Scottish Recipes
- White Rolls

There are a number of special regional rolls (such as the Aberdeen morning rolls or "Rowies") but this a recipe for plain white bread rolls. The finished rolls should be light and airy.

Ingredients (makes 16 rolls):
500g/1lb plain white flour
2 teaspoons salt
275ml/10oz warm water
2 teaspoons dried yeast
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Method:
Dissolve the yeast and sugar into about half the quantity of warm water in a jug and leave in a warm place with a cloth over the top. The yeast will begin to froth in about ten minutes. The flour should be in a large bowl with the salt added and mixed. The flour should preferably be slightly warm too.

Pour the yeast mixture into the flour and knead, either by hand or with a mixer with a dough hook. Add more water to make the texture so that it does not stick to your hands but is moist. Once it is well kneaded, form it into a ball, cover the bowl with a cloth and leave in a warm place. When the mixture has risen to about double its original size, knead it again until it has returned to its original volume.

The dough can then be divided into 16 and formed into individual balls. Pull the dough from the top to the bottom so that the top looks smooth. Place on lightly oiled oven trays, leaving space between each one, and cover with a cloth. Leave the rolls to rise again in a warm place, for about 30 minutes. Finally, bake in a hot oven, 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6 for about 20 minutes, until brown on top - some people prefer their rolls "lightly fired" while others prefer to bake them for longer and have a more burnt surface.

You can add mixed herbs for savory or fruit and nuts for sweet bread.

Bread making is fun, easy and very rewarding - give it a go.

[peterj]

Traditional Scottish Recipes
- Caramel Shortbread

Caramel Shortcake is often called "Millionaires' Shortbread" - presumably because it is so rich. I have to confess this is one of my favourites when eating out anywhere which has "home baking" on the menu.

Ingredients (Biscuit Base):
8oz (200g or two US cups) plain flour
6oz (150g or 1½ US sticks) margarine
30z (75g or half US cup) caster (fine white) sugar

Ingredients (Filling):
2oz (25g or ½ US stick) margarine
2oz (25g or between a ¼ and a ½ US cup) soft brown sugar
A large tin of condensed milk

Ingredients (Topping):
8oz (200g or one US cup) light brown chocolate

Method:
Rub the margarine and flour together in a bowl until you have a mix which is similar to breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar. Spread the mixture evenly into a 9" (23cm) square tin which has been lined with baking parchment. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 170C/340F (160C/320F if fan assisted) for approximately 35 minutes until it is golden brown. Allow the base to cool.
Heat the filling ingredients together in a pot, making sure that you stir it constantly (otherwise it will stick!) until it begins to simmer. Continue stitting until it thickens (which it should do in a few minutes). Spread the filling evenly over the base and again allow to cool.
Melt the chocolate so that you can spread it over the filling.
When it has cooled and you are ready to eat it, cut up into squares or rectangles with a sharp knife.

[peterj]

Traditional Scottish Recipes
- Friar's Omelette

This sweet omelette was first published by a Lady Forbes around 1910. In addition to being made with apples, you can use rhubarb, plums (with stones removed) or blackberry instead. The quantities make sufficient for four servings.

Ingredients:
6 medium cooking apples
4 ounces (125g or one stick) butter plus butter for greasing a baking dish
2 ounces (50g or 4 tablespoons) white sugar
1 ounce (25g or rounded tablespoon) white sugar for decoration
2 eggs, well beaten
4 ounces (125g or 1 cup) breadcrumbs
A squeeze of lemon juice

Method:
Remove the peel and core from the apples, slice and place in a saucepan with about quarter pint (150ml) water. Cook until soft (similar to apple sauce). Remove from the heat and add 4 ounces (125g or one stick) butter, sugar and lemon juice and mix well. When cold, add the well-beaten eggs.
Butter a deep baking dish and spread the breadcrumbs around it so that they stick to the bottom and the sides - but keep back enough for the top.
Add the apple and egg mixture into the dish and cover the top thickly with breadcrumbs.
Bake in a moderate oven (350F/180C/Gas Mark 4) for about half an hour.
Turn out onto a flat dish and sprinkle with sugar before serving.