Tag: beef stock

Food and drink

Shortcrust Venison Pie

minceandskirlie

Whenever I think about making pastry I never bother because most people say it’s not worth the effort. Even TV chefs commonly say on their programmes that there’s little point when the ready-made product is so good and easy to use. That might be the case for the fiddly stuff like filo or puff but I figured shortcrust pastry was worth a try. Plus, with game season in full swing a visit to the farmer’s market supplied me with some fantastic red deer venison. Shortcrust pastry and some excellent meat is a great excuse to make another pie. Continue reading “Shortcrust Venison Pie” →

Food and drink

Stovies

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My brother has a plan he mentions occasionally, to open a late night food cart selling stovies to drunk people. He thinks he’d make a fortune. Around here he probably would as well.

Stovies are another one of those dishes, like mince and tatties, which seems to define Scottish food for some people. They originated as a way of using up leftovers and making the most of what you had. The classic version that you find most often consists of tatties, onions and beef (usually boiled or leftover roast). There are of course regional and generational variations and you can swap the beef for lamb, mince, pork, even duck on one Aberdeen restaurant menu. Never corned beef though. That’s just wrong. Continue reading “Stovies” →

Food and drink

Lamb Chops in Rosemary Gravy

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Ah lamb. I love lamb. Tragically, I don’t get to eat nearly enough of it but a recent knee injury has resulted in a couple of my evenings being freed from the iron grip of training. So instead of beans on toast twice a week, I’ve got more time to do something a bit more substantial.

As on those nights when I’m away we do our own thing for tea anyway I don’t feel like I’m being especially unsociable by using last night’s opportunity to cook a couple of lamb chops. Continue reading “Lamb Chops in Rosemary Gravy” →