There are two things which always take me back to my roots and like to celebrate – Hogmanay and Burns Night. The former has no particular culinary history (a lot of alcohol and emotional singing of Auld Land Syne). The latter, of course, has the Burns Supper. Haggis, neeps and tatties are a given and can really only be served one way – but you may not know the following 2 recipes.
Cullen Skink – a hearty soup made from leeks, onions, potatoes and smoked haddock
- 50 grams butter
- 1 small onion and 1 small leek, finely chopped
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
- 150 ml water
- 200g (ish) smoked haddock
- 200 ml milk
Melt butter and leek in a saucepan and cook for about 5 minutes without browning. Add potatoes and cook till soft. In another pan cover the haddock with the milk and cook gently till tender (you can also do this in the microwave). Remove from milk when cool and flake gently into large pieces, removing bones. Drain the potatoes (keeping the water), take out some of them with some leeks and onions and mash the rest. Return the vegetables to the pan with the liquid and add the milk and haddock. You may need more liquid – you can add some more milk, white wine and/or cream or creme fraiche – whichever takes your fancy. You can also add some chopped parsley and/or chives for a bit of colour. Serve with lots of crusty bread to mop up.
Cranachan – a delicious mix of raspberries, cream, whisky, honey and toasted oats. What’s not to like?
- 100 grams porridge oats
- medium pot of double cream
- 2 – 3 tablespoons honey to taste
- 2 – 3 tablespoons whisky (I personally hate whisky but somehow can take it here!)
- raspberries – fresh or frozen
Heat a heavy based frying pan up and toast the oats until nutty and pale brown (I sometimes add a little demerara sugar so they caramelize but you do have to keep moving them around!). Put to one side to cool. Whip the cream till soft peaks and fold in the honey and whisky. Layer up the cream, raspberries and oats and eat immediately whilst the oats are still crunchy.
ps One of the greatest myths about the Selkirk Grace (heading above) is that it was written by Robert Burns. He was said to have delivered the grace at a dinner party, held by the Earl of Selkirk in 1794. However, at that time, the Selkirk Grace was already 80-100 years old, and was originally called the Galloway Grace or the Covenanters’ Grace. Burns, a well known individual of the time, brought some popularity to the grace, which is why people began to call it the Selkirk Grace, as his speech in Selkirk became well known. Rabbie was known to recite it at many dinners, and so people often mistakenly thought that he wrote it.
Auld Lang Syne (which was written by him) is sung at the end of Burn’s night. A song about forgiveness, friendship, and new beginnings.
Ailsa cooks for One 