Cullen Skink (soup)
Ingredients For Cullen Skink:
Smoked Haddock
Water
1 Onion
1 pint of milk
Mashed Potato
Salt and
pepper
25g butter
Cooking Directions For Cullen Skink:
1. Skin the smoked haddock and cover with just enough
boiled water to cover it.
2. Bring to the boil and then add the chopped onion.
3. Remove the haddock once
it's cooked and remove the bones. Remove the head and tail
4. Break up the fish into a dish and replace the bones into the pot and boil for one hour.
5. Strain the stock
and put back to the boil. Boil the milk in a separate pot and then add to the stock along with the fish.
6. Add the
salt and boil for several minutes then add the mashed tatties until you get a nice consistency.
7. Add the butter
and pepper and serve.
Bannocks
Ingredients
4 oz (125g) medium oatmeal
2 teaspoons melted fat (bacon fat, if available)
2 pinches of bicarbonate
of soda
Pinch of salt
3/4 tablespoons hot water
Additional oatmeal for kneading
Method
Mix the oatmeal, salt and bicarbonate and pour in the melted fat into the centre of the mixture. Stir well,
using a porridge stick if you have one and add enough water to make into a stiff paste. Cover a surface in oatmeal and turn
the mixture onto this. Work quickly as the paste is difficult to work if it cools. Divide into two and roll one half into
a ball and knead with hands covered in oatmeal to stop it sticking. Roll out to around quarter inch thick. Put a plate which
is slightly smaller than the size of your pan over the flattened mixture and cut round to leave a circular oatcake. Cut into
quarters (also called farls) and place in a heated pan which has been lightly greased. Cook for about 3 minutes until the
edges curl slightly, turn, and cook the other side. Get ready with another oatcake while the first is being cooked.
An alternative method of cooking is to bake them in an oven at Gas5/375F/190C for about 30 minutes or until brown at the
edges. The quantities above will be enough for two bannocks about the size of a dessert plate. If you want more, do them in
batches rather than making larger quantities of mixture. Store in a tin and reheat in a moderate oven when required.
Cloutie Dumpling
Ingredients:
4 oz shredded suet or margarine (margarine makes a lighter dumpling)
8 oz (2½ cups) flour
4
oz oatmeal
3 oz sugar
Rounded teaspoon baking powder
8 oz mixed currants/sultanas/chopped raisins
One or 1½
teaspoon each of ground cinnamon and mixed spice
One teaspoon golden syrup
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 tablespoons buttermilk
Method:
Sift the flour and rub in the fat (suet or margarine) in a large mixing bowl. Add all the other dry ingredients
and mix with a wooden spoon. Make a well in the centre and add the syrup and eggs and mix well. Add enough buttermilk to make
a soft but firm batter.
At Christmas, cooks often wrapped small coins (in the old days a silver three-penny piece was
popular) in greaseproof paper and placed them in the dumpling. If you do add coins, warn those eating the dumpling later so
as to avoid broken teeth!
You now have a choice of container. The traditional way was with a cloth. Dip it first in boiling
water and flour it well before adding the mixture. Tie the top, making sure there is enough room for expansion. Place a saucer
or plate in the bottom of a saucepan and stand the dumpling in the cloth on top. Cover with boiling water and cook for 2½
to 3 hours.
Alternatively, you can use an 8-cup basin or pudding steamer which has been lightly greased with melted butter.
Allow a one inch space at the top (even if this means throwing away some of the mixture - you need the saoce for expansion).
Cover the steamer or basin with a greased sheet of foil and pour boiling water into the steamer until it comes two-thirds
up the side. Boil for 3 hours.
Turn out the dumpling and either serve hot with custard or cold with cream.
Forfar Bridies
Ingredients (for six bridies):
1½ lbs (700g) boneless, lean rump steak. Lean minced beef can also be used.
2 oz (2 rounded tablespoons) suet or butter
or margarine
1 (or 2) onion, chopped finely
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
Quarter cup rich beef stock
Salt
and pepper to taste
1½ lbs flaky pastry (home made or from a pastry mix packet)
Method:
Remove any fat or gristle from the meat and beat with a meat bat or rolling pin. Cut into half-inch (1cm)
pieces and place in a medium bowl. Add the salt/pepper, mustard, chopped onion, suet (or butter/margarine) and stock and mix
well.
Prepare the pastry and divide the pastry and meat mixture into six equal portions. Roll each pastry portion into
a circle about six inches in diameter and about quarter of an inch thick and place a portion of the mixture in the centre.
Leave an edge of pastry showing all round. Brush the outer edge of half the pastry circle with water and fold over. Crimp
the edges together well. The crimped edges should be at the top of each bridie. Make a small slit in the top (to let out any
steam). Brush a 12 inch square (or equivalent area) baking tray with oil and place the bridies in this, ensuring that they
are not touching. Place in a pre-heated oven at 450F/230C/gas mark 8 for 15 minutes then reduce the temperature to 350F/180C/gas
mark 4 and cook for another 45/55 minutes. They should be golden brown and if they are getting too dark, cover with greaseproof
paper (vegetable parchment).
