Writing and thoughts from NE Scotland
As we’re in the merciless grip of the worst snow for 45 years it’s definitely time to break out the big guns. Winter stews, casseroles, anything that takes a few hours of cooking with lots of big flavours, root vegetables and plenty of leftovers. Continue reading “Winter Stew”
A foot and a half of snow! In November!?
We’ve had a remarkable week of weather featuring the heaviest November snowfall for 17 years, record low temperatures for the month and thunderstorms during snow showers. It’s bitterly cold and I spend most of the day clearing the snow off our driveway only for snow to return as soon as I go back inside. Even more annoying the snow plough comes along to clear the road and piles the snow across my nice cleared driveway. Then the pavement plough comes along and puts even more snow on the pile.
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”
Chestnuts are one of those things you see in the supermarket at this time of year but never get round to actually buying. Well, this week I put those conkers in my trolley. I had some sprouts left over and wanted to try them with the chestnuts and some bacon. It sounded like a great companion for some pigeon breasts I had in the freezer. Continue reading “Pigeon breast with sprouts, bacon and chestnuts”
I was watching Jamie’s 30 minute meals a few weeks ago and he made a mushroom risotto. Every time I’ve tried risotto in the past I’ve not enjoyed it. I don’t know if it was undercooked or they added too much cheese (I’m not a big fan of cheese that tastes like cheese) but the texture wasn’t right and the taste just didn’t do anything for me. However the mushroom risotto Jamie was cooking looked like the kind of risotto I could get into, so I looked up a few recipes and decided to give it a go. Continue reading “Mushroom Risotto”
Mince and Skirlie 