Today’s breakfast goes to Scotland. A lot of people know about haggis, shepherd’s pie and Scotch Eggs, but did you know that there are several different kinds of soups (such as the delicious Scotch Broth), desserts and main courses? There are even dishes specifically for major events like Mother’s Day, Easter Sunday, New Year and Christmas!
Here are a few recipes to whet your appetite; most of them involve meat, but I imagine you could substitute vegetables or “mock” (soy-based) meat if desired.
Cock-a-Leekie Soup
- Soak the prunes overnight in cold water.
- Remove any giblets from chicken and place it in a saucepan with the stock.
- Prepare the leeks, removing some of the green tops.
- Cut into 1/2 inch slices and add to the stock.
- Season, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 3 1/2 hours.
- Halve and stone the prunes, add to the stock and cook for a further 1/2 hour.
- Add the rice for the last 10 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the stock, carve off the meat and cut it into fairly large pieces.
- Place some of the pieces in each soup dish and pour some of the soup over.
Serve garnished with the chopped parsley and eat with homemade wholemeal bread.
Scottish Leek Soup Recipes
Cullen Skink Soup
- Skin the haddock before cooking.
- Place the smoked haddock with milk and bay leaf, in a large pan.
- Poach gently for a few minutes.
- Remove fish from pan.
- Add onion and potato to pan and cook gently until soft.
- When the vegetables are soft, remove the bay leaf.
- Liquidise the milk, onion and potatoes until they are like a smooth cream. (If you don't have a liquidiser, try a food processor. If you don't have that, then use a potato masher although you won't get such a good smooth creamy texture).
- Return to the pan, and add the flaked haddock.
- Season with pepper. (You probably won't want extra salt, as the smoked fish usually provides enough salt).
- Add chopped parsley.
Cullen Skink Recipe
Profiteroles with Chocolate Ice Cream
- Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper.
- Sift the flour with the salt.
- Melt the butter in the water in a pot over a low heat to start with then bring to the boil.
- Take pot away from heat and stir in flour/salt until completely combined.
- Return to heat and keep stirring until mixture forms a ball that leaves the sides of the pot clean.
- Add 2 of the eggs one at a time beating well until until mixture is thoroughly combined.
- Put the mixture in a piping back with a large nozzle and pipe around 14 - 16 pieces placing about an inch and a half apart on the greaseproof paper.
- Beat the remaining egg with the milk and brush over the top of each profiterole.
- Bake for around 15 minutes until they are 'puffed' and golden.
- Pierce each one with a knife to to release the steam and return to the oven for a further 2- 3 minutes.
- Remove and put each profiterole on a a wire try to cool.
- Cut each one horizontally and fill the base half with chocolate chip ice cream.
- Place in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile melt the chocolate gently.
- Add the tops and pile the profiteroles as a pyramid.
- Pour the melted chocolate over them.
Tipsy Laird
Method
- Place the sponge in the base of a large glass bowl and spread with the raspberry jam.
- Mix the sherry and the whisky together and gently spread over the sponge until it is soaked in.
- Add a layer of raspberries and sliced bananas.
The custard
- Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla essence together until pale and creamy.
- Heat the milk and cream together in a saucepan until boiling point then stir into the egg mixture.
- When it is thoroughly blended, return to the pan and stir continuously over a low heat until the custard thickens.
- Pour into a dish and allow to cool.
- When the custard is cool, pour it over the layer of fruit, spreading evenly.
- Add sugar to the whipped cream.
- Cover the custard with the whipped cream.
- Decorate with toasted almonds.
Tipsy Laird Recipe
For a long time, I always associated Scottish music with the drone of bagpipes (usually not played very well). But, as you can see from the video below, there’s a lot more to Scottish music than just bagpipes!
That’s all from me; have a quiet and hopefully uneventful Sunday!