It’s St Andrew’s Day but we are celebrating it throughout the week.
St Andrew is the official patron saint of Scotland having been first recognised as such in 1320, but he is also the patron saint of Greece, Russia, Romania and Barbados.
Legend tells that a Greek monk was ordered to take some of St Andrew’s relics to the ends of the earth for safe-keeping. He set off to sea and eventually came ashore on the coast of Fife at a settlement that is better known now as St Andrews.
But while we’ve been discovering a little about the history of St Andrew we’ve also been delving into Scottish food. We’re not talking about the stereotypical Scottish food, like deep fried Mars bars, but the fantastic produce that this great country is renowned for.
Porridge will forever be associated with Scotland. Traditionally it’s made with oatmeal, water and a touch of salt for a breakfast to set you up for the day. Beautiful kippers salted and smoked over woodchips are also a feature at Scottish breakfast tables, as is square (Lorne) sausage.
And, of course, you can’t think of St Andrews Day and Scottish food without mentioning the Haggis, the national dish, and a savoury pudding eaten with swede and potato. Or black pudding that has fast become a regular on the menu of top hotels recently.
But with the days and nights growing colder we’ve been drawn to the stovie, a stew that can be pretty much made using anything you’ve got left over from your Sunday roast or, if you prefer, some minced beef, sausages or even corned beef.
There are so many different recipes for this winter warmer but we’ve chosen this one from About Food as it explicitly allows you to add anything you wish.
Ingredients:
1lb of lard or beef dripping
2 medium onions roughly diced
4 tbsp of dark beer or stout
4oz of diced cold roast beef or lamb (or anything else really!)
1 ½ lbs potatoes peeled and cut into quarters
10 fl oz of beef or lamb stock
Any other left over vegetables
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Preheat your oven to 190°C or Gas Mark 5.
In a large casserole dish add the lard or dripping and let it melt. Add the onions and cook until soft but not brown. Take care not to burn the onions.
Add the beer or stout, turn the head up and allow it to boil for two minutes to burn the alcohol away. Add the meat and stir well.
Add the potatoes in layers, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper as you go, before adding the next layer.
Now pour the stock or gravy over and cover with a lid. Cook the dish in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes but check now and then to make sure the stock is not boiling dry.
Ten minutes before the end of cooking add the leftover vegetables, stir and cover with the lid once more to cook for the final ten minutes.
If you’re looking for comfort food this week this has got to be top of the list as a real winter warmer!
About Neil Shaefer
Marketing & Communications Executive of SK Foods.
Your food. Our Passion.
