AS is the case with English cuisine, the food of Scotland has never been touted as being among the world's finest.
That said, I don't remember being offered anything inedible when I was there a few years ago; on the contrary, I had some lovely meals - sublime salmon and beef, and I even liked the dreaded haggis.
If, as I do, you have some Scottish ancestors in your family tree, you're probably familiar with the recipes below. They are good "plain fare" - comforting, easy to make and, most importantly, delicious. And a wee dram on the side would nae be bad.
SCOTCH BROTH
2 Tbsp oil
1½ lbs stewing lamb (shank, neck, or shoulder
- I use shoulder chops)
10 cups low-sodium beef broth (or half water, half broth)
1 large onion, chopped
3 large carrots, chopped
1 large leek, carefully washed and chopped (use white and pale green parts only)
1 medium yellow turnip (rutabaga), peeled and chopped
3 Tbsp butter
¼ tsp dried thyme or 1 stalk fresh, or more to taste
1 bay leaf
½ cup pot barley
1 cup frozen peas
In a large stock pot or Dutch oven heat the oil over medium-high heat and brown the meat on all sides. Add the broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan and sauté onion, carrots, celery, leek and turnip for 5-8 minutes, until slightly softened. Add to the soup pot, along with thyme, bay leaf and barley.
Partially cover the pot and simmer for 1½ to two hours, until the meat is very tender. Remove the meat from the pot and cut it into small pieces, removing any gristle, bones and fat. Add it back to the soup along with the peas and heat for an additional five minutes, until the peas are cooked. Season soup to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. This soup freezes and reheats well, though you may need to thin it with a little additional beef broth when reheating as the barley acts as a thickener. Makes 12 servings.
SCOTTISH OAT CAKES
Delicious with butter and jam or a slice of sharp Cheddar. 3 cups rolled oats (not instant)
1½ cups all purpose flour
½ cup packed light brown sugar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
1 cup vegetable shortening
½ cup cold water
In a large bowl stir together the oats, flour, sugar, salt and baking soda. With a pastry blender cut in the shortening until crumbly.
Gradually sprinkle with the water, tossing with a fork to make a sticky dough. Gather into a ball; divide in half.
On a floured surface and with a well floured rolling pin, roll out each half of the dough to a 12 x 9-inch rectangle (dough should be about ¼-inch thick). Cut into three-inch squares or rounds. Bake on greased baking sheets at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until oatcakes are golden brown on the bottom. Transfer to wire racks and let cool. Makes about 24 oatcakes.
MILLIONAIRE'S SHORTBREAD
For "sweet-aholics" only - sticky, gooey and, fabulous. If you want to make these très chic, sprinkle a little fleur de sel over the top before cutting into squares.
Shortbread Base:
2 cups all-purpose flour ¾ cup butter, cut into pieces ½ cup granulated sugar (or berry sugar if you can find it)
Filling:
½ cup butter
½ cup packed light brown sugar
2 - 300-ml cans sweetened condensed milk
Topping: 8 oz. milk chocolate (you can use semisweet if you prefer, but milk chocolate is traditional)
Make the base: With your fingers rub the butter and flour together in a bowl until they resemble breadcrumbs.
Stir in the sugar. Knead the mixture until it forms a dough, and press evenly into a 9 x 13-inch baking pan which has been lined with parchment (butter the pan before lining it so the parchment won't slide around). Prick dough all over with a fork and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until firm to the touch and very lightly browned. Allow base to cool before making filling.
Heat the filling ingredients together in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly so mixture doesn't scorch, until it just comes to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to low and cook very gently - stirring constantly - until it thickens slightly, which should take about five minutes. Spread the filling evenly over the cooled base and again allow to cool before adding topping.
Melt the chocolate over simmering water or in a microwave; spread over filling. Let cool. Cut into 24 squares with a very sharp knife.
