Starters
Traditional Scottish Cullen Skink
(Submitted by Andrew Fairlie)
Picture: Andrew Fairlie
Serves: 4
Ingredients
• 1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
• 1 leek, well-rinsed, chopped and cut into rough 2cm cubes
• 1 litre fish stock
• 200g waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into roughly 2cm cubes
• 300g undyed smoked Scottish haddock fillet
• 1 bay leaf
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 tbsp whipping cream
• Chives, roughly chopped
Method
1.Warm the oil in a pan. Add the chopped leek, cover and gently cook for a few minutes until soft. Add the stock, bay leaf, potato and haddock. Season lightly with black pepper. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
2.Remove the haddock from the pan with a slotted spoon. When the fish is cool enough to handle, remove any skin and bones, then flake the haddock back into the pan.
3.Blend a ladle full of the soup in a liquidizer and return to the pan. Stir in the double cream and simmer for another 2-3 minutes. Add more black pepper if necessary, then sprinkle with the chopped chives and serve.
4.Serve with chunks of fresh wholemeal or granary bread.
Mains
Pot Roast of Scotch Lamb Meatballs and Caramelized Onions, Parsnips and Curly Kale
(Supplied by John Quigley of the Red Onion)
John Quigley of the Red Onion restaurant.
Picture: Lenny Warren
Serves: 4
Ingredients
• 1 thick slice of white bread, crusts removed
• 4 tbsp milk
• 500g lean minced lamb
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 6 grindings of black pepper
• 3 (300g) large chunky cut parsnips (2cm)
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 large onion, finely sliced
• 30g/1oz plain flour
• 450ml/15fl oz hot beef stock made with 1 lower salt beef stock cube
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 80g curly kale
Method
1.Pour the milk into a shallow bowl and add the bread. Leave to soak for about 2/3 minutes. Put lamb mince, soaked bread, diced onion, salt and pepper in food processor and blend till smooth or do by hand.
2.Shape the mixture into balls size of a walnut- add 2 tbsp oil to the casserole pan, and then fry the meatballs in batches until browned all over, remove from pan and keep warm, add sliced onions to same pan and fry over medium heat for 8/10 min till nicely caramelized.
3.Sprinkle the flour into the pan and stir well in to the onions. Slowly add the hot stock and tomato purée, stirring constantly and bring to a boil, add meatballs, parsnips, cover and put in oven for 30 min.
4.Remove from oven and over low heat stir in kale and simmer for 2/3 min.
5.Divide evenly and serve with broccoli and new potatoes.
(Submitted by Adam Newth of The Tayberry)
Picture: The Tayberry
Serves: 4
Ingredients
• 2 fillets of Scottish smoked haddock (cut into chunks)
• 2 potatoes (peeled and chopped into a small dice)
• 4 spring onions (finely sliced)
• 25g fresh or frozen peas
• 25g broad beans (popped out of their skins)
• 2 tbsp of chopped parsley
• 200g low fat crème fraiche
• 25g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 30g of breadcrumbs
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Method
1.Preheat oven to 180C. Par boil the diced potato in salted water, until it has softened slightly but not completely cooked. Then drain off and leave to cool.
2.Add the haddock fillets, onions, peas, broad beans, crème fraiche and nutmeg and mix everything together in a big bowl with a good pinch of salt and pepper.
3.Spoon the mix into a ramekin leaving a small gap at the top. Mix the Parmesan and breadcrumbs together and sprinkle across the top to cover.
4.Cook in the preheated oven for 20 mins and serve.
Vegetarian haggis with whisky glazed turnip pearls straw potatoes with chive and malt cream sauce
(Submitted by Jacqueline O’Donnell of The Sisters)
Picture: Peter Devlin
Serves: 6
Ingredients
• Individual vegetarian haggis x 6
• 1 whole swede
• 25ml blended whisky
• 25g soft brown sugar
• 25g butter
• 2 large potatoes (peeled and cut into matchsticks steep in cold water)
• 200ml double cream
• 25ml malt whisky
• 1 small handful of chives chopped finely
Method
We recommend using an electric fryer
1.Cut swede into quarters and bring to the boil until ⅔ cooked. Using a melon baller, press into the turnip and scoop out into ball/pearl shapes.
2.Add the whisky, butter and sugar into a shallow pan and reduce until syrupy then add the turnip pearls and cook for a few minutes until pearls are nicely glazed and golden.
3.Poach individual haggis for 15 minutes in light simmering water.
4.Peel and cut the potatoes into matchsticks and rinse in cold water. Drain and pat dry, then gently fry at 170c until golden (be careful as they cook quickly). Bring the double cream and malt whisky to the boil and reduce slightly. The mixture should be sticky enough to coat the back of a spoon.
5.To serve, place a spoonful of the Straw potatoes onto plate and place the haggis in the centre.
6.Place the turnip pearls around the haggis and drizzle the Chive and Malt Cream Sauce over the dish
Braised Pork Cheek with Hand-dived Scallops, Marmite-buttered Cabbage & Green Apple Sauce
(Submitted by Graeme Pallister)
Picture: Fraser Band
Serves: 4
Ingredients
• 8 fully-trimmed pork cheek nuts
• 8 hand-dived scallops
• 4 dark green inner leaves of Savoy cabbage
• 2 green eating apples, peeled, cored and diced
• 1 teaspoon Marmite
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 50g unsalted butter, chilled
• 1 small onion, peeled and roughly diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and roughly diced
• 1 pint of chicken stock, fresh or stock cube
• Half teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 1 sprig of thyme
• Light olive oil
Method
1.Preheat oven to 140 degrees. Firstly, braise the pork cheeks. Remove them from the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking then season both sides of the cheeks with salt and pepper. Heat an oven-proof, heavy-based pan on the stove and carefully add a tablespoon of olive oil. In 2 batches, seal and colour the cheeks until golden brown, then remove from the pan.
2.Add a little more oil and gently brown the carrot, onion and garlic, then add the chicken stock, herbs and caraway seeds to the vegetables. Bring to the boil then add the cheeks. Bring down to a gentle simmer, place a lid on the pan and braise in the oven for approximately 1.5 to 2 hours until the pork is tender and offers no resistance when pierced with a skewer. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the stock.
3.Meanwhile, place the apple in a pan with a tablespoon of water and 25g of the chilled butter. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and place on a gentle heat until the apples are softened. Blend to a smooth purée or simply mash with a fork and set to one side.
4.Next, place a pan of salted water on a high heat to boil and prepare a bowl of iced water. Trim each cabbage leave into a neat shape, removing as much of the stalk as possible. Place the cabbage into the boiling water and blanch until softened (around 30 seconds), then immediately place in the iced-water to cool. After several minutes remove the leaves from the ice bath and dry with a cloth. Combine the melted butter and marmite in a small dish and have pastry brush to hand.
5.Strain the cooled pork stock into a clean pan and gently simmer to reduce by half. Then place the cheeks into the simmering stock along with the cabbage leaves to gently heat through.
6.Meanwhile, heat a frying pan on the stove, and lightly season the scallops with salt and pepper. Add little oil to the pan and fry the scallops until golden brown on each side. Add the remaining chilled butter and allow to froth, spooning it over the scallops several times before removing the scallops from the pan ready to serve. To serve, place the cabbage leaves on warmed plates and carefully paint with the Marmite butter. Present the cheeks and scallops as shown and dot with the apple puree. Enjoy!
Dessert
Spiced winter fruit served with creamed vanilla rice pudding
(By Andrew Fairlie)
Picture: Andrew Fairlie
Serves: 4
Ingredients
For the spiced fruit
• 1 apple, cored and cut into eight
• 1 pear, cored and cut into eight
• 2 plums, stoned and cut into four
• 12 ripe brambles
• 100g sugar
• 1 vanilla pod
• 2 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
For the rice pudding
• 100g Arborio rice
• 50g caster sugar
• 1 vanilla pod
• 500ml semi-skimmed milk
• 100ml whipping cream
Method
For the rice pudding
1.Preheat the oven 150°C/300°F/Gas mark 2. Mix milk and sugar in pan over a gentle heat. Split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds. Add them to the milk and sugar and bring to a simmer. Stir in the rice.
2.Cover with greased baking paper and place into the oven for 50 minutes. Remove and leave to rest for 10 minutes. Remove the pod then fold in the whipping cream.
For the spiced fruit
1.Place a saucepan onto a medium-high heat. Add the sugar to the pan and heat until the sugar liquidises and turns a pale caramel colour.
2.Add the apples, pears and plums and cook until the fruit is lightly coloured. Remove from heat then add brambles.
3.Split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds. Add to the fruit with the cinnamon and star anise.
4.Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until the fruit is just soft. Remove from the oven and add the brambles. Pour the rice pudding into warmed bowls and serve with the winter fruits in the syrup on the side.
