The Food of the Scots – Its not all offal!

..... The term Scottish cuisine conjures up images of haggis, perhaps with a deep-fried Mars Bar for dessert – artery clogging stuff, to say the least. Yet the traditional 18th and 19th century Scottish diet was high-energy, balanced and easy on the wallet (or sporran). Based largely on grains, wild game and fish (not always legally obtained), the diet used organ meats or what we call “offal” in many dishes. Desserts made use of fruits and berries, in season. The average 19th century farmer or fisherman put away 5000 calories a day, burning it off in hard physical labour in a cold, damp climate. Fast-forward to the 1950s, when widespread mechanisation and the availability of processed foods became common. The diet, at least in the urban centres, revolved around fat, sugar and salt, with a corresponding rise in the incidence of obesity and heart disease. It doesn’t have to be that way. We invite you to try the following Scottish recipes. They are all easy to prepare. Unlike some of the 19th century recipes, you don’t have to “Take a sheep’s head to the blacksmith and have it singed…”

Almonte Games Haggis Haggis is basically a sausage, with oatmeal added. There are many different recipes, but this one is simple and has been a hit for 25 years at our NLHG Robbie Burns Night every January. 2lb pinhead oatmeal, 1lb ground suet, 20 fluid ounces of beef bouillon, 1lb finely diced onions, 2- 4 lb ground venison. ½ teaspoon (each) of allspice, cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, 6 cloves of garlic (minced). Toast the oatmeal slowly in the oven at 275 degrees for 10 minutes. Combine liquid and solids and put in an ovenproof container, lightly covered in foil. Cook at 325 degrees for 5 hours, with a pan of water underneath. Check occasionally for moistness. Add a little bouillon, if necessary. This recipe serves twelve and leftovers freeze well.

Clapshot – A side dish from Orkney Mash together equal quantities of boiled potatoes and turnip. Add chopped chives, a knob of butter, salt and pepper to taste. Great with roast beef or lamb.

Lentil Soup – A great winter warmer Sautee 1 cup of chopped onion with 3 slices of diced bacon. Add 2 litres of low-sodium chicken broth, ¾ lb of red lentils, ½ cup grated carrots. Simmer for 2 hours. Add salt and pepper to taste. Puree in blender.

Port Jelly – Great on toast, the morning after Hogmanay 750ml Ruby Port, 4 cups of white sugar, ¾ bottle of Certo, cloves, lemon rind. Gently heat port and sugar, stir to dissolve. Add Certo and stir, Put 2 cloves and a slice of lemon rind in the bottom of baby food jars or small mason jars. Pour in jelly and let cool. Screw on lids and refrigerate.

Atholl Brose Dessert One and a half cups heavy cream, ½ cup Scotch whisky, 4tbsp liquid honey, ½ cup of toasted pinhead oatmeal (check your local health food store). Whip the cream until peaks begin to form. Stir in the oatmeal and honey. Chill for an hour. Stir in the whisky and serve in small glasses.