A Scottish ‘Masterchef’ is set to launch a new range of cured Scottish salmon at the Royal Highland Show next week, and is already courting interest from USA and Dubai.Mark Heirs, aged 29, is producing luxury Atlantic-farmed Scottish salmon – dry cured to his own secret recipe – in a mission to promote his passion: the finest cured food.  The salmon samurai, Mark juggles the key ingredients of his new cured salmon.
The new venture, Stirling-based Highland Curing Co, pays homage to the ancient methods of curing with a modern twist of flavours, including gin and cucumber, whisky and beetroot and the classic cure – with five more in development. As well as demand from Scotland and London, the company has also been speaking to a New York restaurateur and a distributer in Dubai about this new addition to Scotland’s larder. A quarter finalist of the first series of BBC’s Masterchef The Professionals in 2008, Mark cut his culinary teeth in the kitchens of One Devonshire Gardens, Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck before becoming head chef at his family-owned Callendar Arms, Falkirk until 2013. The lightbulb moment for the business came when he saw the level of interest from customers tasting his cured salmon dishes at cooking demonstrations last year. Mark Heirs said: “I was giving away the recipes before it hit me that what people actually wanted to buy was the cured salmon. Seeing the demand made me realise there was an opportunity to open people’s eyes to the wonders of raw food and its incredible taste and texture on a larger scale. “We have big international aspirations to spread the word about curing so to already have that interest before we’ve officially launched is very satisfying. “Excellent provenance is key, particularly with cured food. To get those incredible flavours, it has to be the best of the best, which is why we use sustainably sourced salmon from the Outer Hebrides through the Scottish Salmon Company. “After all, Scotland is an international powerhouse for food and Scottish salmon is its biggest export so we just want to get out there and start making a contribution in Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink.” Highland Curing Co is creating an online shop – www.highlandcuring.com – and plan to develop new lines, including meat, in the future. In the meantime contact Mark on twitter @highlandcuring
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You’ll have had yer tea
Searching for ‘Treasured Tastes’
The search is on to save Scotland’s favourite recipes from being lost forever. Those favourite meals and treasured tastes are needed for a unique Scottish cookbook. Yesterday, Scottish Restaurant owner and Chair of the Scottish Food Commission, Shirley Spears, joined VisitScotland to launch a nationwide appeal to find Scotland’s most treasured tastes. Alongside Chief Executive of Visit Scotland, Malcolm Roughead, Shirley appealed to Scots to get behind the project.
Now You’re Cooking, 7 year old Darcy Burnham from Troon, helps Shirley stir up some enthusiasm for ‘You’ll have had your tea’.
Shirley said: “It’s such a pleasure to be involved in this delightful project. I’ve long been an ambassador of family cooking. Some of my most cherished memories are of spending time with my Mum, baking jam tarts and fairy cakes, followed years later with teaching my own children how to cook simple, basic things at home and making the most of seasonal ingredients such as gooseberries and rhubarb from the garden and turning them into delicious treats. And now I hope to pass on stories about where our all our delicious ingredients come from to my gorgeous grandchildren.
“We all have these food memories that instantly transport us back to a precious time in our lives. ‘Treasured Tastes of Scotland’ will provide a voice for these recipes and the stories behind them from all over the country so that people both now and in the future are inspired to visit Scotland and sample its amazing local produce. I‘m very much looking forward to reading the entries and hope that as many people as possible will take part in this nationwide search.”
As a lasting legacy of the Year of Food and Drink 2015, a special number of the delicious memories will be compiled into a unique one-off recipe book entitled – You’ll have had yer tea? – Treasured Tastes of Scotland. The book, due to be published later in year, will take readers on a culinary journey from the shores of Shetland all the way down to the rolling hills of the Scottish Borders.
As well as showcasing traditional food and drink, the book will help shine a light on the personal stories behind family recipes, inspiring readers to revive some great home-cooking as well as encouraging them to come and sample Scotland’s wonderful natural larder.
Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland, said:
“Everyone has a delicious unforgettable meal they remember and invariably it is as a result of the food, company and setting. My personal favourite is my mum’s stovies, made with fresh lamb from Stirling market. I can still remember the smell of it bubbling away on the stove in our kitchen in Stenhousemuir. It instantly takes me back to Saturday dinner in the Winter after we’d spent the afternoon watching the football.
“The Year of Food and Drink is a celebration of our natural larder and delicious dining experiences but we want people to continue sampling our famous fare long after 2015 is over. The recipe book idea is a way for us to inspire people across Scotland to discover more about the culinary offering that is on their doorstep and be proud of the traditional tastes created in their hometowns or family holiday destinations”.
Recipes must be submitted along with a treasured story about the location or circumstances behind the meal. Entries can be sent either online on the dedicated webpage or by post.
All entries will be placed in a prize draw to win a one-night B&B stay for two at the Three Chimneys and The House Over-By in Skye. This unique prize includes dinner at the Kitchen Table at the award-winning restaurant – a not-to-be-missed experience which sees diners become immersed in the whole tableau of the kitchen, watching the chefs at work during a busy night’s service.
Entries can be submitted until the 3 July 2015. Full terms and conditions are available on the VisitScotland website.
For more information or to submit your Treasured Taste, please visit: www.visitscotland.org/Treasured-Taste.aspx
Slow cooked spiced mutton shoulder with ginger and sweet potato
The popularity of mutton has declined over the years and it’s certainly not obvious on any of the butcher shops I have visited in the West of Scotland. Certainly don’t expect to find it the supermarkets but it is easily available at farmers markets and from farm shops and suppliers. There are many reasons for the decline in popularity, including, intensive farming and lifestyle changes over the past 40 to 60 years. But, mutton is regaining it’s well deserved place on the countries dinner tables and to encourage this, a mutton renaissance campaign was launched by HRH Prince of Wales in 2004.
Mutton, for those who don’t know, is meat from a sheep over the age of two years and just like beef is more flavoursome than veal, mutton has a more depth of flavour than spring lamb.
To encourage more people to cook with mutton, I recently teamed up with Soil Association Scotland and Denise Walton of Peelham Farm for a feature in the Daily Record newspaper.
Peelham have been been running their organic farm at Fouldon in Berwickshire for over 25 years and rear free range, pasture grazed, pure bred Llyen and Llyen cross, on the upland coastal pastures. The mutton is dry aged for two weeks and has a unique slightly salty flavour and a succulent texture. Having cooked with mutton shoulder, I was struck by just how tender the meat was after slow cooking.
Succulent and flavoursome lamb shoulder.
The usual cuts are available with mutton and Peelham stock the full range, including, leg, mince, chops and mutton bones, much sought after these days for broths and stocks. Being a lover of cheaper cuts for slow cooking, I chose mutton shoulder and it was ideal for this recipe.
Slow cooked spiced mutton shoulder with ginger and sweet potato.
pic Iain Gillon
This slow cooked mutton is a great dish for sharing. Serve with rice, chapti's and raita in the middle of the table for everyone to help themselves.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 4 | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 3 hours |
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This slow cooked mutton is a great dish for sharing. Serve with rice, chapti's and raita in the middle of the table for everyone to help themselves.
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Ingredients
- 3 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 large large onion, finely chopped
- 4 large cloves of garlic cloves - crushed
- 40 g piece of root ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp corriander
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 green chillies, left whole and pricked with the tip of a knife
- 500 g mutton shoulder, diced
- 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 500 ml lamb or chicken stock
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 medium, approx 300g sweet potato, cut into large chunks
Servings:
Instructions
- Pre heat the oven to 150C/gas mark 2.
- Heat the oil in an oven proof casserole, add the onion and cook gently for 5 minutes until softened. Add the ginger and garlic and continue cooking for 2 minutes
- Add the spices and green chillies, mix well and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the diced mutton and brown on all sides, ensuring the meat is well coated with the spice mixture.
- Stir in the chopped tomatoes, stock and salt. Bring slowly to a simmer, cover with a tight fitting lid. Transfer to the oven and cook for 2 hours. Remove the dish from the oven, stir in the sweet potatoes and cook for a further 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the mutton is tender and the sweet potato is cooked.
- Serve with rice, chapati's and raita.
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My thanks to Denise Walton at Peelham Farm for supplying the mutton for this recipe and Soil Association Scotland for assistance. All opinions expressed are my own.
La Mia Cucina, recipes from Italy’s favourite celebrity chef, Fabio Campoli
It’s a nice change to find a cookery book with a collection of recipes that sets it apart from the others and a new book, La Mia Cucina, from Scottish Italian restaurant group, Tony Macaroni, does just that. With recipes designed by Italy’s most renowned top chef and epicurean, Fabio Campoli, the book includes 100 authentic recipes, along with helpful expert hints and tips. Buying a copy has the added bonus of helping one of Scotland’s top fundraising charities, Radio Clyde’s Cash for Kids. The proceeds from the first 5,000 books sold are being donated to this year’s appeal.
La Mia Cucina – 100 recipes from Italy’s favourite celebrity chef
Written with the home cook in mind, there are classic dishes for every occasion. There’s an authenticity about these recipes, a feeling of what might be served up in a traditional restaurant in Italy. You can experience a genuine taste of Italy without going to Italy. Chef Fabio Campoli’s journey through life has been shaped by his love of food and he shares that love through the recipes in this book.
Divided into 6 sections, chose from starters, super sandwiches, starters, pasta, meat, fish & more, desserts, and find a collection of basic recipes at the end of the book. Basic’s include all you need to make the Italian favourites, stocks, sauces, gnocchi, risotto, pasta and a selection of pastries. All of these link back to recipes in the various chapters.
Starters include black olive crackers with ham, sardines in onion batter with sweet and sour pine nuts and raisins.
The pasta recipes include spaghetti with marinated anchovies & fennel with breadcrumbs and olives, gnocchi with sausage, rocket sauce & crispy breadcrumbs and bucatini with pecorino, prawns and asparagus.
A mouthwatering range of meat recipes includes a delicious braised pork with fennel and prosecco. And if desserts are your thing, you wont be disappointed. Temptation includes, Chocolive pot pie, hazelnut cream on crispy waffles and delicious dark chocolate and hazelnut cake.
A few words from Fabio, ‘ Gastronomic desire’ follows two connected but seperate paths, namely that of research and innovation that merge with that of history and tradition. I love to bring ancient dishes back to life, ad I am always looking for ways to excite people through a dish and it’s history. Gastronomic desires aside – but which I want to mention because they unite each one of us – there are those desires related to the nostalgia of a dish, the flavours of which is alive within us because it is linked to people, places, and adventures that have made a deep impression on our lives. It is exactly in this evocation of the hidden desires within my dinner guests that I find the inspiration to revive emotions in the kitchen that in reality never left’.
One copy to giveaway. Win a copy of La Mia Cucina – either follow A Wee Pinch of Sugar blog or RT and follow on Twitter @weepinchofsugar
Thanks to Tony Macaroni and Fabio Campoli for providing a copy of La Mia Cucina.
The sharper your Knife, the less you cry
The sharper your knife, the less you cry. pic Cook School Scotland
The sharper your knife, the less you cry – so says the name of a book by American cook and author Kathleen Flinn, writing about her experience at the Cordon Bleu Cook School in Paris. It is true that you’re more likely to injure yourself using a knife that needs to be sharpened than using a good sharp knife. My knife collection has a few sharp knives but a recent knife skills class at The Cook School Scotland has made me realise that a rethink is required. Not that there’s a need to invest in a new set of expensive sharp knives, just that I learned, less is more.
The Knife Skills class is a new addition to the wide range of classes at The Cook School Scotland and although I’ve been cooking for many years, it was a chance to brush up my skills and learn some new techniques. The class was a clever mix of demonstrations from Head Chef Andy Beattie along with hands on practice and cooking. Filleting, boning, spatchcocking, slicing and chopping were all covered and each stage involved cooking the prepped produce and preparing separate side dishes using a range of different knife and cooking skills.
First under the knife was sea bream for filleting and Chef Andy made the process look very easy. Filleting fish was one of those skills that I had let slip, preferring to leave it to the fishmonger. Instructions also included, pin boning, skinning and scaling. Andy also demonstrated how to fillet flat fish and this is now something I will feel confident about doing in the future.
Head Chef Andy Beattie demonstrates how to fillet round and flat fish
A sharp filleting knife and clear instructions made the task so much simpler and I was rather pleased with my effort.
Using a filleting knife makes the task much easier
After filleting the bream was cured with flavours of fennel, tarragon and pastis to be served with a delcious fennel salad.
Citrus Cured Sea Bream with fennel and orange salad- Serves 4
2 wild gilthead bream. Cure – 2 lemons. 2 limes. 200g sea salt. 400g sugar. 5g fennel seeds. 10 tarragon sprigs. 100ml Pastis.
Fillet pin bone and skin the fish. Finely grate the zest of the citrus fruit and combine with all the other cure ingredients. Lay the fillets on a tray, pour the cure over ensuring the fish is covered, cover with cling film and place in the fridge for 2 hours. Wash off the cure with cold water, pat the fish dry with kitchen paper, wrap the fillets tightly in cling film and place back in the fridge.
Fennel Salad. 1 fennel bulb. 2 oranges. 10 sprigs dill. 100ml extra virgin olive oil.
Finely slice the fennel and place in ice cold water along with the juice of one of the lemons. Segment the orange, cut into small pieces and combine with oil and dill. Drain fennel, shake dry and toss in citrus dressing.
Finely slice the fish and serve with the fennel salad.
The cure bream makes a delicious starter
There was natural flow to the way the class was taught with the various knife skills and cooking techniques complementing each other. For instance,segmenting an orange was so easy with the correct knife and the kofta, made with lamb mince, included finely chopping several ingredients including fresh herbs and chef Andy stressed the importance of the correct knife action to prevent bruising the herbs and leaving the flavour on the chopping board. Accompanying the kofta’s was a podina, a spicy yoghurt based sauce and again this included more finely chopped ingredients.
Lamb Kofta
Kofta with yoghurt podina – serves 4 500g lamb mince. 2tbsp coriander finely chopped. 2 tbsp mint leaves finely chopped. 1 tbsp flat leaf parsley finely chopped. 1/2 red onion finely chopped. 1/2 garlic clove finely chopped. 1/4 tsp ground cumin. 1/2 tsp sumac. 1 egg beaten. sea salt and black pepper.
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well, season with salt and pepper. Take a small amount of the mix and fry to check the flavours and seasoning. Shape into the size you prefer and fry in a large frying pan on 3 sides until cooked. if the kofta’s are larger you may have to finish cooking in a medium oven – 175C.
For the podina – 200g Greek style yoghurt. 1 tsp fresh ginger finely grated. 1/2 red chilli deseeded and finely chopped. 1/4 red onion or 2 spring onions finely chopped. 3 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped. 1 tbsp mint leaves finely chopped. Juice of 1 lime. Fish sauce (optional, salt can be used). 1/2 tsp caster sugar. Freshly ground black pepper.
Drain any liquid from the yoghurt and place in a mixing bowl with the ginger, chilli, onion, coriander and mint. The secret with this sauce is the balance, add the sugar and half of the lime juice with a dash of fish sauce, taste and adjust the seasoning. Chill until needed.
The kofta makes a great family meal and tastes much better than any takeaway. I made the recipe at home added some extra salad and pitta bread.
Pickling vegetables was also on the class agenda and again brought in a range of skills with different vegetables. They make a great accompaniment to the lamb kofta’s and are also ideal for serving with cold meats and other salads.
vegetables for pickling
Slicing into similar sizes was essential before adding salt to cure and drain excess liquid from the vegetables.
Salting the vegetables before pickling
The pickled vegetables made a great accompaniment to the lamb kofta’s and are also ideal for serving with cold meats and other salads.
Pickled Vegetables – Serves 4.
1 carrot, peeled and sliced in to batons. 1 stick of celery sliced into matchsticks. 1/2 cucumber deseeded and sliced into batons. 1/2 red onion sliced. 1/2 yellow pepper sliced. 1/2 head of fennel sliced. 100g sea salt. 100ml white wine vinegar.
Toss all the vegetables in salt and leave to cure and drain of their liquid in a colander for an hour. Thoroughly rinse in cold water. toss the vegetables in the vinegar and place in a sealed container. They will be ready to eat in an hour and will keep for up to a week.
Being able to bone and joint meat is a great skill for any home cook and if you’re interested in saving some money on the food shopping bill, it’s an essential. As you would expect, a sharp boning knife and a good demonstration makes the task a lot easier. This leg of lamb was quickly cut into a range of pieces, including the shank, leg steaks and chunks for casseroles. Of course, it also means no wastage as any leftover pieces can be minced and bones used for stock.
An essential skill for home cooks – boning meat.
Jointed chicken pieces sold in the supermarkets are usually sold in packs of thighs and drumsticks, with the breasts and wings being sold separately. As this picture shows, jointing your own bird gives 8 pieces, thighs, drumsticks and 4 pieces from the breasts as they are divided into 2. The wings can also be used but Head Chef Andy’s tip is freeze the wings and after a few jointed birds, there’s enough for a plate of chicken wings. Alternatively, they can be used for stock along with any other leftover pieces. Once again, cheaper and no food waste.
A jointed chicken, eight pieces for a good family meal.
Spatchcocking was also covered and this is something I do regularly with chicken and like jointing, it’s easier to cut into pieces for serving once the bird is cooked. It’s also ideal if you’re pressed for time as the bird cooks quicker. Of course, any bird can be spatchcocked and it was poussin we prepared and cooked during the class.
This little poussin was spatchcocked and cooked in a honey and ginger marinade.
The knife skills class is one of a fantastic range of courses available at Cook School Scotland and dates for future courses are available. Other classes include Scottish Fish and Seafood, Simply Meat, Bread and Baking various classes covering world food. All the classes are held in the state of the art kitchen with staff and chef’s on hand to assist. The classes delivered in a way that ensures all participants, regardless of ability gain the maximum hands on experience and knowledge from the day. Full details of all calsses can be found on the school’s website
Disclaimer. I was invited as a guest of Cook School Scotland. I was not paid for this post or expected to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Traditional Skills and Secrets at Ritchies of Rothesay Smokehouse
It was a very welcome invitation to visit Ritchies of Rothesay, a local smokehouse on the nearby Scottish Isle of Bute. Having attended a home smoking class last year, I was keen to see the professionals at Work. Ritchies have been in business since 1888, after founder Peter Barr started the company to produce what is still a favourite to this day, the traditional West of Scotland fish, kippers. The original oak beamed smoker and the recipes secret ingredients are still in use, and the curers continue to smoke and cure by the same method.
In business since 1888, providing smoked fish to some of the best households in the country
Today, the original smokehouse stands on the very same spot, close to Rothesay Pier where the fishing boats would have landed. The unassuming red brick building gives no secrets from the outside but stepping inside, historical and modern day processing techniques come together and work in harmony, side by side.
Reeking strongly of it’s smoking history, the smell and the blackened beams in the oak beamed smoker are a heady reminder of Scotland’s fish smoking industry. Untouched by modernisation and the industrialisation of today’s food system, the time honoured process is complemented by the recently renovated and state of the art processing plant where today’s smokers, headed up by Alastair McFarlane continue to cure and smoke fish in Ritchie’s unique and special way. Alastair gave nothing away as he told me about Ritchie’s secret recipes with the added ingredients that create amazing taste. In addition to the traditional kippers, Ritchies smoke a selection of the finest Scottish fish including trout, kippered rainbow trout, smoked haddock and roasted smoked salmon.
Although no secrets were being revealed during my visit, some interesting facts were revealed – and having tasted the fish, I can tell you that this is no fishy tale.
The fish are hung on racks to dry before being moved to the ancient smoker Pic Philip Field
Ritchies use wood shavings and finer oak materials from oak whisky barrels to smoke their fish Pic Philip Field
Cured and smoked in Ritchie’s unique and special way Pic Philip Field
Ritchies fish is smoked using a cold smoke and takes on a rich smoky flavour with a beautiful deep colour Pic Philip Field
Having seen the smokehouse and tasted some samples, naturally I cooked up a few dishes with Ritchies smoked fish. Here’s a couple of my favourites.
Kippers make a great fish pate Pic Philip Field
The kipper pate is very easy to make and will make and ideal lunch or starter.
Ingredients
- 1 kipper
- small handful rocket leaves
- 40 g cream cheese
- 1 tsp dried seaweed optional. I used Maraseaweed kombu although dried herbs will also work well.
- 1-2 tbsp lemon juice add gradually to taste.
Servings:
Instructions
- Soften the kipper by soaking in boiling water for approximately 10 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.
- Remove the head, skin and fillet the herring and add the flesh along with the remaining ingredients to a food processor.
- Process until the pate is smooth and check before adding any further seasoning. The kipper and the seaweed usually add sufficient seasoning.
- Pack into a ramekin and chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
- Serve with crusty bread or oatcakes
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Smoked haddock pasta
Smoked haddock works a treat with this creamy pasta dish makes a quick and easy to meal to rustle up if you're short of time. The Ritchie's of Rothesay haddock had a lovely strong deep flavour that added real depth of flavour to the finished dish.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 4 people | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 15 minutes |
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Smoked haddock works a treat with this creamy pasta dish makes a quick and easy to meal to rustle up if you're short of time. The Ritchie's of Rothesay haddock had a lovely strong deep flavour that added real depth of flavour to the finished dish.
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Ingredients
- 350 g conchiglie pasta
- 2 large smoked haddock fillets
- 350 ml milk
- 200 g cream cheese
- small bunch parsley Reserve a small amount for scattering over the finished dish.
- 2 tbsp chopped chives
- freshly ground black pepper
Servings: people
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet
- Add the milk and the haddock fillets to a large pan, slowly bring to a simmer and cook for approximately 5 minutes. Remove the haddock from the pan and flake into large bite size chunks.
- Reduce the heat, add the cream cheese to the milk and stir to mix well until the sauce thickens. Add the parsley, chives, black pepper and mix well.
- Add the pasta and smoked haddock to the pan and gently mix to ensure the pasta is coated with the sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve.
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There’s so many ways to use smoked fish and the full range of Ritchie’s products can be ordered on line. Pic Philip Field
The full range of Ritchie’s products can be ordered from their website or if you’re visiting the Isle of Bute, Ritchie’s shop selling the freshest of smoked fish can be found at 111 Montague Street, Rothesay.
Photographic Images. Thank you to photographer Philip Field for the creative food images used in this post.
Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink
Food has taken on a bit of a celebrity status throughout the country and there’s rarely a week passes without a national day to promote some kind of food. From bread to cupcakes and sausage to bacon we always seem to be paying homage to food. However, this year the Scots are celebrating in a much bigger way and 2015, if you haven’t already heard, is Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink
This year’s celebration comes hot on the heels of the Year of Homecoming and the triumphant sporting events, where Scottish produce featured prominently. The perfect example was the Commonwealth Games venue at Glasgow Green where the Food Village saw Scottish food producers providing top quality food for visitors. It was no ordinary street food; west coast langoustines and smoked salmon was offered alongside stovies, steaks and shepherds pies, all made with the best of Scottish beef and lamb.
This was just one example of how well the country’s producers helped showcase the delicious food and drink available to visitors to the city. The aim of the Year of Food and Drink is to mark, highlight and promote Scotland’s abundant quality produce to visitors, demonstrating that Scotland is a destination for delicious food and drink, and it’s key role in our economic growth and cultural development.
To help increase exposure and showcase the the fantastic produce Scotland has to offer, Scotland Food and Drink and Think Local have come together to create 12 industry- focused food and drink themes to coincide with the Year of Food and Drink’s visitor events being held by Event Scotland and Visit Scotland
February’s theme was ‘Food of Love’ and I got involved by cooking with Slow Food West of Scotland at the relaunch of Queens Park farmers market in Glasgow.
Spreading the food of love and eat local message at Queens Park farmers market.
The three dishes, beetroot & carrot soup, beremeal blinis with smoked salmon & Dunlop Dairy crowdie and venison steak with whisky & ginger wine sauce, reflected the seasonal produce available at the market, with a tie in to the monthly theme.
My feature on venison along with the recipe for venison steak with whisky and ginger wine sauce is available on the Eat Scottish blog and makes a delicious romantic meal for 2.
Venison steak with ginger wine and whisky sauce
Scotch Lamb Street Festival
If you thought Scotch lamb was just for Sunday dinner then think again. A recently held Scotch Lamb Street Festival in Glasgow showed just how easily different cuts of lamb can be cooked and how well it works with different cuisines. With an invitation from Scotch Lamb I was keen to find out just what the city’s street food chefs would be cooking and headed along with the hungry food loving Gillon boys in tow. These boys love their food and when it comes to good street food hot and spicy is what they look for.
The food was organised by Glasgow’s popular and successful Street Food Cartel and like all their events this was top notch street food with a difference. First thoughts on the combination of lamb and street food might conjure up thoughts of the ubiquitous donner kebab, but, I’m glad to tell you that these guys did so much more with Scotch lamb and produced some outstanding food. With influences from around the world, Moroccan, Mexican, Italian and Thai, the boys were happy to eat their way around the festival.
Some of the delicious street food served up at the Scotch Lamb Street Festival. Pics by Food and Drink Glasgow
Scoop in their well known Silver Bullet served up a favourite of mine (pic top left), braised neck fillet of lamb, ras el hanout with pomegranate and sultana couscous. I love these Moroccan flavours and having visited the country recently this was a really well flavoured authentic dish. I also liked the use of neck fillet in this dish as it’s a cut that’s very often overlooked by shoppers. Maybe one to try next time you’re buying Scotch lamb.
Pad BKK served a lamb massaman curry with jasmin rice, prawn crackers, crispy shallots, peanuts and herbs (botton left) and this was another crowd pleaser. The lamb worked really well with the Thai flavours and overall it was super tasty sweet and spicy dish.
So La Ti Dough, the sister company of Scoop treated us to lamb shoulder, slow roasted in the wood fired oven, with vine tomatoes, rosemary and garlic (pic bottom right). This was such a delicately flavoured dish and didn’t overpower the sweetness of the lamb. The thick slices of lamb were served on focaccia, making this a really hearty and filling dish.
The final dish was Mexican inspired and was served up by Antojito Cantina. Being lovers of chillies and Mexican food the boys made straight for this and were not disappointed. The Barbacoa lamb served in soft taco’s with sour cream, guacamole and pico de gallo ticked the spicy box for them. I cook Mexican food regularly and this was another great example of being creative with lamb, breaking away from the usual chicken, fish and beef as the main ingredient.
2014 Scotland Food and Drink Ambassador and chef patron of The Sisters Restaurant, Glasgow, Jacqueline O’Donnell, was in charge of the food demonstrations and as usual Jacqueline’s very relaxed style made it easy to see how the food she was cooking was something you could do at home. If you’ve seen Jacqueline in action before, you’ll agree that she’s one of the best when it comes to cooking with Scottish produce, and her Scotch lamb dishes were no exception. Her demos are always more than just cooking up a recipe; she always gives lots of tips on cooking meat, how to get the best flavour and what cuts to ask your butcher for. Jacqueline’s three dishes used different cuts of lamb, loin, shoulder and mince, and each one showed how incredibly quick and easy it is to to produce great family meals with Scotch lamb. I loved all three and I’ve included her ideal street food food recipe, sizzling lamb kofta for you try at home. I’ll add Jacqueline’s other Scotch Lamb recipes in the near future.
Chef Jacqueline O’Donnell
These sizzling lamb koftas are a joy - as soon as they come off the grill they are rolled in smashed nuts and spices, before being wrapped up with pickles and crunchy veg in a soft tortilla. They're super simple to make, filling, and in various ways have been the ultimate street food for hundreds of years.
| Servings |
| 4 People |
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These sizzling lamb koftas are a joy - as soon as they come off the grill they are rolled in smashed nuts and spices, before being wrapped up with pickles and crunchy veg in a soft tortilla. They're super simple to make, filling, and in various ways have been the ultimate street food for hundreds of years.
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Ingredients
- 1/4 red cabbage very finely sliced
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 50 g shelled pistchachios
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/2 iceberg lettuce sliced
- 50 g stale bread
- 400 g minced Scotch lamb
- sweet chilli sauce
- 4 small tortillas
- 8 radishes
- Fat free natural yoghurt to serve
Servings: People
Instructions
- Add the very finely sliced cabbage to a bowl along with the vinegar, sugar and a pinch of salt and pepper. Gently scrunch with your hands and set aside.
- Blitz the pistachios and fennel seeds in a food processor until fairly fine, sprinkle over a chopping board and set aside.
- In a food processor, blitz the bread into breadcrumbs and add to a bowl with the minced lamb. Season well and mix together. Divide the mixture into 4 pieces and mould each into a sausage shape. If cooking on a BBQ, mould each kofta around a wooden skewer that's been soaked in water.
- Heat a griddle pan on a high heat and when hot add the koftas and cook to your liking, ensuring that they are cooked all the way through. Remove from the heat, brush with chilli sauce, then simply roll in the nuts and spices until well coated.
- Briefly warm each tortilla on the griddle (give it a quick wipe first), then add the lettuce, a kofta, radishes and a dollop of yoghurt. Squeeze the excess salty liquid from the pickled cabbage and add a small handful of cabbage to each tortilla and serve.
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With so many different cuts of lamb, it’s good to have some knowledge of what to ask your butcher for and to know what works well with a particular recipe. The Scotch Lamb Club Butcher on hand was the very person to ask and along with his demonstrations there helpful advice on what to look for and how to choose different cuts. A butchery lesson also gave some of my fellow bloggers the opportunity to get hands and learn how to butcher and bone a leg of lamb.
Butchery demo
Even watching the lesson was helpful and I’m sure with a sharp knife I’ll feel more confident if I ever have to trim and bone a leg of lamb.
Many thanks to Scotch Lamb for inviting us to the street food festival and the Street Food Cartel for such great food. If you would like to find out more about cooking with Scotch Lamb, check out Quality Meat Scotland’s Scotch Beef and Lamb, Scotch Kitchen where you’ll find videos, recipes and free recipe booklets to help you cook with different cuts of lamb.
Scotch Lamb is among the best in the world and has been awarded PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) and only farms and sheep that meet the stringent standards laid down by Quality Meat Scotland are eligible be called Scotch lamb. To be confident when buying lamb, look for the blue Scotch Lamb label and PGI logo. That way you can be assured that what you’re buying is quality lamb, born and bred in Scotland to the the QMS standard.
Look for the blue Scotch Lamb label and the PGI Logo
The Scotch Lamb Street Food Festival was also a great opportunity to meet up with some of my fellow blogging chums, Mark from Glasgow Food & Drink and Janice from Farmers Girl Cooks. You’ll find further posts about the event on their sites. Also thanks to Mark for saving the day when I lost some of my pics.
I was invited as a guest to the Scotch Lamb Street Festival, I was not paid and all opinions expressed are my own
More of my favourites at BBC Good Food Show Scotland.
SECC Glasgow 17 -19 October 2014
The BBC Good Food Show Scotland opened yesterday and as an official show blogger I was was there, talking to producers and finding out more about their great products. If you’re visiting the show, there’s so much to enjoy. The Supertheatre sponsored by Kenwood features a host of well know celebrity chefs cooking up some amazing dishes. Today, you’ll find Paul Hollywood, Mary Berry and John Torode on stage and tomorrow James Martin and Tom Kitchin take over the reigns for the final day.
After watching the lovely Paul Hollywood on stage I was lucky enough to catch up with him backstage for a quick chat and photograph. He had just finished a demo in the Supertheatre where he cooked up the most delicious strawberry & pistachio shortcakes. You’ll find the recipe for these and so many other great recipes in the show guide.
Backstage with the lovely Paul Hollywood
This year’s show has over 100 stands with a great variety of products to choose from; you’ll find cheeses, confectionery, meat & game, fish & seafood, cookware, oils & vinegars, preserves & chutneys to liquers & spirits and regional specialty’s. Definitely spoilt for choice.
Here’s some more of my favourite products and producers at the show.
Flying the flag for Scottish Salmon – Dunkeld Smoked Salmon
Flying the flag for Scottish salmon with some fantastic smoked salmon, gravadlax and smoked salmon pate is Dunkeld Smoked Salmom Dunkeld are a small producer and have over 30 years experience in smoking some of Scotland’s finest salmon at their Springwells smokehouse on the banks of Perthshire’s River Tay. Visit them on stand B92 to sample some of their great smoked salmon products.
A great selection of oils from Supernature Oils
Lynn Mann of Supernature oils is on stand B50 with a super collection of Scottish rapeseed oils. Produced on the family farm in the beautiful Midlothian countryside, Supernature now produce and sell a range of original and infused oils. The flavoured oils are exceptionally good and can be used in different ways when cooking. Visit Lynn at the stand for more information and to sample some of delicious flavours including, orange, lime, coriander or basil infused oils or the original Supernature rapeseed oil.
Chris from Waulkmill Cider with his super apple cider products
Waulkmill Cider on stand G21 with Scottish Fruit Trees is my favourite apple cider vinegar producer. Owner Chris has a range of cider products on the stand including his Spiced Apple Punch and mixed cider gift boxes. He’s also about to market a new gift box of flavoured cider vinegars and they are available on stand for sampling.
The young Mr Tunnock with the great family favourite, Tunnock’s caramel wafers
No food show would be complete with good biscuits and there are several companies at this years show. One of Scotland’s oldest is Tunnocks and I had a great chat with the young Mr Tunnock, grandson of the founder Thomas Tunnock. Very few people need an introduction to Tunnocks as they are one of the nations great favourites. They’re on stand G20 You’ll find all your favourites, teacakes, caramel logs, caramel wafers and the great favourite, Tunnock’s snowballs.
The Gift of Oil have some outstanding olive oils and balsamic vinegars.
The Gift of Oil on stand C22 are they’re always on my shopping list at BBC Good Food Shows. I love their first class range of olive oils and vinegars and it’s great to see that they’ve added new additions to the range. There’s a new rosemary & garlic infused olive oil and a new zingy grapefruit infused balsamic vinegar. My top favourite in the infused balsamics is the pomegranate & fig and I also picked up a bottle of the deliciously sweet raspberry infused. You’ll find this seasons Puglian, Alentejan and Sicilian olive oils along with some outstanding maturevinegars and the full range of infused balsamics. Definitely worth a visit.
This is just a few of the outstanding producers you’ll find at this years show. I’ll be back at the show tomorrow to bring you some more of my favourite food & drink and also to keep you posted on twitter & facebook with live show updates.
My BBC GOOD FOOD SHOW FAVOURITES
SECC Glasgow 17 -19 October 2014
When food lovers converge on the BBC Good Food Show Scotland at Glasgow’s SECC this weekend they will not be disappointed.Well over one hundred of the countries top food producers will be showcasing their products and I’ve put together a list of my favourites to help get your shopping list organised.
I’ve been visiting the show for many years now and find it a great opportunity to stock up on ingredients and get organised with some great food gifts for Christmas.
Here’s the first of my top five from this years show.
Summer Harvest with their great range of rapeseed oils, dressings, vinegars and mayonnaise
Summer Harvest are regulars at BBC Good Food Show with their ever popular range of Scottish rapeseed oils, salad dressings and vinegars. At their Perthshire farm, owners, Mark and Maggie Bush grow all their own crops and press and bottle all their own oil. I’ve been using Summer Harvest oils for a number of years now and their rapeseed oil, mayonnaise and vinegars are firm favourites in my kitchen. Making it’s show debut this year, is their outstanding ‘White Trufle Oil’. I’ve been using it for some time now and it makes a wonderful addition to risottos and soups. Perfect drizzled over the finished dish. The truffle oil will also be available in gift packs along with rapeseed oil and the delicious oak smoked oil. Another pack with Chilli & Red Pepper Dressing, Lemon & Honey Dressing and the wonderful Raspberry dressing will also be available. Visit Summer Harvest on stand C22
. Sweet and Savoury temptaions from Perthshire Preserves with their delicious range of jams, marmalades and chutneys.
Good Food Champions, Iain MacKenzie and Kate Thornhill from Perthshire Preserves are back at this years show with their full range of handmade jams, marmalade and chutneys. Having made jam with Kate and Iain at their Perthshire Kitchen, I can say that their preserves are truly handmade artisan products. There is a large selection to choose from but my favourites are their Hot Banana Chutney, fantastic to serve with spicy food and also delicious on a bacon roll. The Double Expresso Marmalade is a firm favourite at breakfast in our house and I love the Lemon curd on oatcakes with my 3 o’clock. For the show there is a special Orange and Lemon Curd and the full Christmas range of chutney’s relishes and luxury mincemeat. Visit Perthshire Preserves on stand A110
‘Thinking out of the biscuit’, Borders Biscuits, so ‘deliciously different.
Also returning to this years show and spreading tasty crumbs of deliciousness is Border Biscuits. As a ‘Border Biscuit Taste Tester’, I can tell you without any hesitation that every one of their biscuits is fantastic. There’s such a wide range of biscuits in the Borders selection and in our house everyone has their own favourites. In the ‘Deliciously Different’ range there’s flavours such as Raspeberry & White Chocolate Bliss, Strawberry & Cream Melts and Danishly Caramel Apple. There will be samples to taste on the Borders stand, so no excuse for not stocking up on your favourites. The larger boxes and tins of Border Biscuits make ideal gift and with Christmas approaching, you might want to sample the biscuits in the ‘Classic Range’ and stock up on some ‘Classic Gift Packs’. Visit Border Biscuits on stand D52
Three top quality sea salts from Hebridean Sea Salt
An essential in my kitchen is good sea salt and a firm favourite is Hebridean Sea Salt from the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. Owner Natalie Clayton founded the business in 2011 with the ethos of creating a sustainable product whilst making the most of what the areas surrounding area had to offer. The award winning sea salt is harvested from the unspoilt, crystal clear waters of Loch Erisfort on the East coast of Lewis, using the simplest of recipes; Hebridean sea water, heat and time. This creates pure white crunchy sea salt flakes that just melt in the mouth. There are three salts in the Hebridean Sea Salt Range – Pure Original, Peat Smoked and Seaweed Infused. I use all three as the flavours are very different and can be used to enhance a wide range of dishes, I love the Peat Smoked Sea Salt for it’s real deep peaty flavour and the Seaweed is ideal with a range of dishes although I like using it with seafood. Visit Hebridean Sea Salt on stand C47
Visit the Ramsay of Carluke stand where you’ll find a mouthwatering range of of products.
One stand you should not miss is Ramsay of Carluke . Andrew Ramsay and family will be proudly showcasing the company’s delicious and award winning bacon, haggis , black pudding and sausage products. The Ramsay family have been producing bacon for over 150 years in Scotland’s Clyde Valley and they are veterans of the BBC Good Food Show. Choose from the fantastic Ayrshire Cured Bacon, the 3 star Gold Great Taste Award Black Pudding and an outstanding range of sausages. In addition to Ramsay’s classic sausages, you’ll find some great flavours; ‘Pork & Caramalised Onion’ Pork & Really Garlicky and ‘Apple & Black Pudding’. Visit Ramsay of Carluke on stand B52
Look out for the next post where I’ll be telling you more about this years BBC Good Food Show Scotland’s Bursary Winners, Helens Herbs, Plan Bee, Hebridean Food Company and more about Scotia Spice’s ‘True Guide to Punjabi Cooking’.