I spent a couple weeks last October and then 3.5 weeks in May traveling in Scotland.
The general perception of Scottish cooking is that it's pretty dreary, and heavy on fried fish, with vegetable equal to potato. There are still places like that; one restaurant I stopped at had as vegetable choices chips (American fries), homemade crisps (American potato chips), and little friend balls of mashed potato. Seriously......
But there was so much more, as well.....although the recipes below are quite traditional - and delicious if made with fresh ingredients.
I found lots of fun ethnic restaurants. Turkish in Inverness, Thai in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. And there were more Indian/Pakistani restaurants than Canada has Tim Horton's. All good choices for me, as I only eat vegetarian out.
However, the recipes I'm going to share below are more traditional.
Many of the places I ate -- pubs, restaurants, hotels (in many small Scottish towns, the local hotel has the best restaurant) -- made good use of local produce and meat. Most also had daily specials of salmon and/or sea bass. In Orkney, the local economy is focused much more on cattle than sheep (unlike the Hebrides and Shetland, where sheep are more than ubiquitous, or so it seemed.....). Sticking to my eating-out-vegetarian ways, I skipped the local beef, but greatly enjoyed the very rich local ice cream ;-)
Most traditional non-dessert recipes focus on meat/fish and what grew well in Scotland's short growing season. Oats and potatoes are major ingredients. As usual, there are many variations on traditional recipes, but the versions below are somewhat standard.
Clapshot
1 pound boiled potatoes
1 pound boiled turnip
1 or 2 tablespoons chopped chives
Salt and pepper
2 ounces butter or margarine
Beat the two vegetables together while still hot and mix in the butter, chives and seasoning. If necessary, continue to beat in a pot until it is piping hot before serving.
Colcannon
1 pound boiled and mashed potatoes
1 pound boiled cabbage, drained
1 ounce butter (or margarine)
Salt and black pepper
{My grandmother's version also included boiled and mashed carrots mixed in.}
Mash the potatoes and finely chop the cabbage and mix in a large saucepan in which the butter has been melted. Keep the saucepan over a low heat to keep it hot. Season to taste and serve piping hot.
The mixture can also be put into a greased oven-proof dish and cooked at 400F until the top is browned.
Cullen Skink
A large smoked haddock (weighing around 2 lb)
1 medium onion, finely chopped.
1½ pints (900ml) milk
2 tablespoons butter
8 oz mashed potato
Salt and pepper
1 bay leaf
Chopped parsley
Water
Triangles of toast (as an accompaniment)
Cover the smoked haddock with water, in a shallow pan, skin side down. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes, turning once. Take the haddock from the pan and remove the skin and bones. Break up the fish into flakes, return to the stock and add the chopped onion, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Simmer for another 15 minutes. Strain, remove the bay leaf but retain the stock and fish. Add the milk to the fish stock and bring back to the boil. Add enough mashed potato to create the consistency you prefer (don't be afraid to make it rich and thick!). Add the fish and reheat. Check for seasoning. Just before serving, add the butter in small pieces so that it runs through the soup.
Serve with chopped parsley on top, accompanied by triangles of toast.
Skirlie
Beef dripping (quarter US cup)
One chopped onion
Medium oatmeal - but not rolled oats! (1 US cup )
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Melt the dripping in a heavy frying pan and fry the onion for about three minutes (or until softened). Add the oatmeal to the onion and continue to fry for about ten minutes, stirring from time to time until the oatmeal is crisp and light brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Oatcakes [Bannocks]
4 oz (125g) medium oatmeal
2 teaspoons melted fat (bacon fat, if available)
2 pinches of bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
3/4 tablespoons hot water
Additional oatmeal for kneading
Mix the oatmeal, salt and bicarbonate and pour in the melted fat into the centre of the mixture. Stir well, using a porridge stick if you have one and add enough water to make into a stiff paste. Cover a surface in oatmeal and turn the mixture onto this. Work quickly as the paste is difficult to work if it cools. Divide into two and roll one half into a ball and knead with hands covered in oatmeal to stop it sticking. Roll out to around quarter inch thick. Put a plate which is slightly smaller than the size of your pan over the flattened mixture and cut round to leave a circular oatcake. Cut into quarters (also called farls) and place in a heated pan which has been lightly greased. Cook for about 3 minutes until the edges curl slightly, turn, and cook the other side. Get ready with another oatcake while the first is being cooked.
Bridies (makes 6)
1½ lbs boneless, lean rump steak. Lean minced beef can also be used.
2 oz (2 rounded tablespoons) suet, 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)
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 for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350F 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).
Stovies
4 oz cold, diced lamb (two-thirds of a cup)
1½ lb potatoes, peeled and sliced. Some people use alternate thin and thicker slices - the thin ones then turn to mush.
1 (or two if you prefer) large onion, very thinly sliced.
1 level tablespoon good quality dripping (from meat or bacon). If dripping is not available, cooking oil will do (though not as good a flavour).
Stock or water
Salt and pepper, nutmeg or all-spice for seasoning
Chopped parsley or chives
Melt the dripping in a large pan (preferably with a tight fitting lid), add a layer of sliced potatoes, then a layer of onion and next a layer of meat. Add enough stock or water to cover (though some prefer their stovies dry, in which case add only 2-3 tablespoons). Then repeat the layers once again and season the dish thoroughly - in addition to salt and plenty pepper, add some nutmeg or all-spice).
Cover and cook over a low to moderate heat (shaking the pan occasionally) for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the liquid is absorbed. Serve with a sprinkling of chopped parsley or chives (or chervil).
I'll cover sweets (various desserts and pastries) in a future diary - believe me, Scots seem to have a sweet tooth ;-)