Christmas Clootie Dumpling

Fresh off her appearance on the Great British Bake Off, Earthy regular Lea Harris was recently invited to be a guest on the Edinburgh leg of Market Kitchen's Big Adventure (which aired last week on the Good Food channel). She was asked is she knew of any other keen bakers in town I was very touched that she recommended me.

Since they were looking for something distinctly Scottish, but with a Christmassy feel, I thought back to my great-grandmother's fantastic Clootie Dumpling - a Scots classic if ever there was one. While it was a year round treat during my childhood, my Nana always came up with variations for special occasions, so I hope she would approve of my festive version of her signature dish.

Ingredients (Makes a large pudding for around 10 people)

175g Plain Flour

115 oz Self-Raising Flour

30g Cake Crumbs (or bread crumbs if you don't have some old cake lying around)

90g Vegetarian Suet

60g Fine Raw Cane Sugar

115g each of Currants & Sultanas

60g each of Raisins, Dried Cranberries & Mixed Peel

1 DSp each of Treacle, Golden Syrup & Medium Cut Marmalade

1 oz Sunflower Spread, melted

1 Lge Egg, lightly beaten

1 1/2 TeSp each of Ground Ginger, Mixed Spice, Cinnamon & Nutmeg

1 TeSp each of Ground Cloves & Mace

275ml Buttermilk

1 TeSp Bicarbonate of Soda

25ml Whisky (or brandy if you prefer)

Pinch of Salt

Plain Flour for sprinkling on cloth

Coin wrapped in greaseproof paper

Method

First put a large pan of water on to boil with a plate, or ideally, a steamer rose in the bottom so the pudding can't sit on the floor of the pan. Then submerge your 'cloot' or pudding cloth - a square of muslin around 2 feet square - in a bowl of boiling water to sterilise it.

Pop your bicarbonate of soda into a cup, mix with a splash of buttermilk and set to one side.

Sift your flour into a large bowl then add crumbs, sugar, spices, suet, salt & dried fruit. Mix together so the fruit has no clumps and the spices & flour are well mixed. Now add your margarine, egg, treacle, syrup, marmalade, whisky and the bicarbonate of soda/buttermilk mix. Begin to stir, adding the remainder of the buttermilk (and your coin for luck) until you have as smooth a batter as you can manage with a mixture containing more than a pound of fruit!

Remove you cloot from the boiling water, wring it out & lay it on a flat surface. Sprinkle all over with flour, rub gently in to the cloth then shake off any excess. Now put your cloth over a large bowl and spoon the mixture into the centre of cloot. Bring up the edges of the cloth - keeping the pleats as neat and shallow as possible - then, leaving enough space for the dumpling to swell, tie the top tightly with string.

Place the dumpling into the water, bring it back to the boil, cover & allow to simmer for 3 1/2 hours, topping up with boiling water if necessary.

At the end of the cooking time, remove the dumpling from the hot water & plunge into cold water for around 5 seconds. Then place it in a colander, untie the cloot and open it up just enough so a serving plate can be placed on top. Turn the whole thing over and remove the rest of the cloot. Your dumpling is now complete, but is naked as a newborn & needs to be covered with a damp teatowel and left overnight to allow the skin to firm up.

To Serve

Once the skin has firmed up, the whole dumpling can be warmed gently in the oven & served with brandy butter or custard a la Christmas pudding. Alternatively only warm half then slice the other half very thinly so it can be fried and served with bacon & eggs for the ultimate Boxing Day breakfast.

Aromatic North African Fish with Couscous

This is my variation of a North African Stew - with the fish cooked seperately from the sauce. The ingredients list is long, I know, but most of the spices are for the Ras-El-Hanout which you can buy pre-prepared (Steenberg's do the best that I know of). This spice mix varies from recipe to recipe - try making your own and you can omit some things you're not keen on, or add others you think might work. As for the fish - use any fillets of firm fish that are available and sustainable. From line caught sea bass, mackeral, sea bream, to monkfish. Also add a few shellfish for a different texture - e.g. prawns (buy them whole) or scallops or even mussels (which you could add to the sauce at the end). I know this looks like a long recipe to do - but it's really not. It takes less than hour in total in the kitchen - and the aromas are so special, that you'll probably want to take your time over it and spend as much time there as you can.

First of all make your Ras-El-Hanout.
Ingredients (makes enough for 8 people - store any left in an airtight jar if this is too much): 2 tsp each of cumin seeds, ginger powder, fennel seeds, turmeric, coriander seeds & Salt; 1 tsp each of cayenne pepper, dried chillis, ground cloves, freshly ground nutmeg & black pepper; one small cinnamon stick.
Method: place all the spices together in a warm, dry, heavy pan and gently heat to release the oils and flavours, then crush in a pestle and mortar. Sieve into a bowl to capture any larger pieces of cinnamon stick.

For the Fish: Place 3 tbs of olive oil in a dish and add 1 heaped tbs of the Ras-El-Hanout and mix together. Coat the fish fillets well in the spicy oil. Shell the prawns (removing the black membrane) or shell your scallops and coat well with the spicy oil. Cover the dish with cling film and place in the fridge. You can do all of this well in advance.

For the Sauce: 2-3 tbs olive oil; 2 medium red onions, finely sliced; 1/2 head of 1 small fennel - very finely chopped; 1 small preserved lemon (scoop out the flesh and only use the skin) - very finely chopped; 2 cloves of garlic, minced; 1 small red chilli finely chopped; 1 tin of chopped tomatoes; a good pinch of saffron threads; around 300ml of good quality fish stock; 1 heaped tsp of runny honey (Ulmo Blossom or Orange Blossom honey works well)- to be added at the end of cooking.
Method: In a heavy bottomed pan (with a lid) add the oil and 2 tbs of your Ras-El-Hanout mix and gently fry for 1 minute before adding the onions and fennel. Fry for another 2-3 minutes before adding the preserved lemon, garlic & chilli. Gently fry for another couple of minutes before adding the chopped tomatoes, one spoon at a time, mixing well. Make sure the tomatoes are well broken down into the sauce, then add the fish stock and finally the saffron threads. Mix well, turn the heat down to low and place the lid on the pan. The sauce will take around 30-40 minutes to cook through and it should be almost jam-like in consistency. Check it and give it a good stir now and again making sure it doesn't stick to the pan at all.

For the Couscous: Put a good glug of olive oil in a pan and warm it through. Tip in around 50g of couscous per person, stirring well with the oil to coat the grains. Remove from the heat and pour in enough boiling water to just cover the couscous and no more. Sstir well, then pop the lid on the pan and leave for 5-10 mins. Fluff up with a fork, and add salt to taste, a good bunch of chopped fresh coriander (or flat leaf parsley or both) and the grated zest of a lemon.

To finish the dish: Heat a large non-stick frying pan on the hob. Add a little olive oil and when hot add your fish fillets, skin-side down to sear. The fish fillets should take no more than 4-5 mins to cook; the prawns or scallops 2-3 minutes. If you're using mussels, add them now into your sauce and replace the pan lid, giving the pan a bit of a shake - the mussels are ready when the shells open (discard any that do not open). Check your sauce for seasoning and add the honey, stirring in well. Spoon a heap of couscous onto each warmed serving plate; add the sauce to the side and place the fish on top of the sauce. Serve immediately and listen to the groans of joy!

Roast Venison

With autumn comes great game. And venison is one of my favourites. It's lean, rich and if cooked correctly, it's beautifully tender. Here's my favourite way of cooking a venison loin / fillet.

Ingredients (for 4 people): 500g loin fillet of venison; a small bunch of rosemary; 4 or 5 juniper berries; a whole head of garlic; 2 glasses of red wine or port; a glug or two of rapeseed oil; one heaped teaspoon of redcurrant jelly; salt and black pepper.

Method: Pre-heat the oven to around Gas mark 6 (200 C). Crush the juniper berries and chop finely with the rosemary, then mix with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spread the mixture thinly over a chopping board. Lightly brush the venison fillet with olive oil then roll in the herb/spice mixture so it's evenly coated. Place into a hot frying pan with a little oil (one that's ovenproof) and sear on all sides for five minutes. Add one glass of the wine or port and the garlic and place in the oven for around 10-12 minutes (to achieve medium). Remove from the oven and rest the venison for 5 minutes on a carving board. In the meantime, remove the garlic from its peel and mash it into the liquid. Turn up the heat under the pan and add the 2nd glass of wine or port. Reduce by half, then turn down the heat again and add the redcurrant jelly and a wee knob of butter. Carve across the venison fillet to create thin discs of meat and place on pre-heated serving plates. Add any juices from the carving board into the sauce and stir in well. Pour the sauce over the vension.
Serve with Cavalo Nero or Green Beans and the Dauphinoise shown below.

Celeriac & Tattie Dauphinoise

OK, I admit to being very neglectful of this foodblog of late. So to make amends I'm adding a few recipes. I'll kick off with a very rich and deliciously more-ish version of Dauphinoise - using 1/2 tatties and 1/2 celeriac, which is just coming into season. Try it - you'll love it!

Shopping List (serves 4): 1 small celeriac head; peeled and quartered; 1Kg of waxy potatoes, peeled and halved; 100g Parmesan or Pecorino cheese; 250ml of double cream; a small handful of fresh sage (very finely chopped); 1/2 clove of garlic (very finely chopped); salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Method: Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 4 (180 C). Slice the tatties and celeriac no more than about 5mm thick and boil them for 5 minutes before draining well and leaving to cool a little. Mix the cream, cheese, sage, garlic, salt and pepper in a shallow ovenproof dish and then lay the tatties/celeriac in the dish in layers, coating well in the mixture. Cover the dish with tin foil and cook for around 45 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for a further 15 minutes until golden brown, bubbling and beautifully tender. Serve with gamey meat, beef or chicken with some green beans and a big-hearted glass of wine. Magnifique!

Dirkyburgers

The sunshine at the weekend encouraged us to get the BBQ out for the first time this year. And boy how we've missed it. We were over in Bridge of Weir seeing friends, so I made some of my burgers that always seem to go down a treat. They're quick and easy to make - just prepare in advance as an overnight chill in the fridge helps them to keep their shape and gives the flavours more time to get to know each other.

Shopping list for 10 medium-size burgers: 1Kg organic minced beef (Whitmuir is simply the best - it's what we stock at Earthy); one slice of day old bread; two good handfuls of chopped herbs of your choice (I tend to use basil and coriander, but thyme or parsley are good too - whatever is at its best and in season); a good handful (around 50g) grated parmesan; 1 tsp salt and a few twists of black pepper.

Method: Blitz the bread in a food processor, until well crumbed; add the herbs, salt, pepper and cheese and blitz again. Put the minced beef in a large bowl and add the herby breadcrumbs and mix really well with your hands. Form the burgers to the size you like them - you should get at least 10 good sized burgers from this mixture. Wrap individually in cling film to hold their shape and place in the fridge - preferably overnight. Get the BBQ nice and hot, then cook the burgers to your liking. Serve in a bun with condiments of your choice.

You can also try this recipe replacing the beef mince with with minced turkey, lamb or a mixture of veal and pork mince (great with lemon thyme). Chilli can also be added to the breadcrumb mix to add some zing. Go on, get your BBQ out, chill some rose and dig-in.

Spanish Tortilla

This is an authentic Spanish Tortilla recipe - as taught to me by my good friends from Mardid, Carlos & Alberto. We had quite a few laughs the first time I tried it. There are literally thousands of different recipes for this seemingly simple dish, so try out some variations and additions - like using garlic-infused oil, or adding herbs, chargrilled peppers or chorizo to the mix. Slow cooking is essential, so it's not a quick dish to prepare - you simply can't rush a good tortilla. This recipe feeds 6 people as a main course, or double that if you're having a Spanish-themed meal with more tapas. Before you start, make sure you have a good non-stick pan - around 7"- 8" in diameter - and a large plate that's a good couple of inches wider.

Ingredients: 6 very fresh organic medium eggs; 3 medium-sized potatoes; 2 large onions; 200ml olive oil; salt and a good grind of black pepper.

Method: Finely slice the onions and peel and cube the potatoes into 1" x 1/2" chunks, drying off well in a dish towel. Pour the oil into a bowl and add the onions and potatoes, mixing them together well. It seems like a lot of oil, but you can collect the drained oil at the end of cooking and re-use it for future tortillas - the Spanish even have special ceramic pots for this purpose. Place a large frying pan on the hob, on a low heat and add the potatoes/onion mixture along with all the oil. The oil should cover the potatoes and onions - if it doesn't, add some more. Leave to cook for around 30-35 minutes. The heat should be low enough for the mixture not to brown. Test the potatoes with a sharp knife, and if they're cooked, remove the mixture from the pan, straining off the oil (reserving it). Leave to cool a little. In a seperate bowl lightly whisk the eggs with the salt and pepper. Then tip in the potatoes/onions and mix well together. Place a small drizzle of the reserved oil into an 7"- 8" non-stick frying pan and tip in the eggy mixture over a low heat. Leave for a good 5 minutes. Now the tricky (fun) bit. Remove the pan from the heat - best to do this next bit over the sink, just in case! Lay a large plate (at least 10" in diameter, so it overlaps the frying pan) upside down over the top of the pan. Holding the pan handle firmly with one hand and the plate in place with the other, spin the pan round quickly so the contents fall flat out from the pan onto the plate (and not into the sink or onto the floor). Place the pan back on the hob and carefully slide the tortilla, runny-side down, back into the pan, to cook the other side. This may take a little practise - hence the advice about spinning it over the sink. Once perfected though, it makes for far more impressive kitchen theatre than simply flipping pancakes. After 5 more minutes, repeat this process - it will be easier the 2nd time as the tortilla should be holding its shape better - and practise makes perfect. Keep repeating until the tortilla is solid to the touch in the centre and cooked through. Finally, flip the tortilla out onto a serving plate and leave to cool. Best served at room temperature, al-fresco, with a mixed salad, some crusty bread and a glass of chilled white Rioja. Salud!

Rhubarb Crumble

Just the word crumble makes me weak at the knees. It’s one of those puds that satisfies on every level - sweet, fruity, cakey and warming - total comfort food. In my book rhubarb, without doubt, makes the best crumble.

Ingredients (for 6 greedy people): 2lbs (900g) of organic rhubarb; 5oz (125g) unrefined caster sugar; grated rind and juice of one organic (unwaxed) blood orange; 4oz (150g) organic plain flour; 2oz (50g) jumbo oat flakes; 3oz (75g) butter.

Method: Wash the rhubarb and remove the bottom of the stems. Chop into large chunks and stew lightly in a saucepan for a couple of minutes. Add half the sugar to the rhubarb and continue to stew until just tender (but not mushy). Drain, reserving the juice, and place in the bottom of a large pie dish. Put the juices back on the heat, add the orange zest/juice and reduce until rich and syrupy and pour over the rhubarb. Blitz the flour, oatmeal, butter and remaining sugar in a processor until it forms coarse crumbs. Pour this over the rhubarb and pop in a pre-heated oven 180oC (gas mark 4) for 35-45 minutes until the top is golden brown. Serve with cream, Greek yoghurt or good, old-fashioned custard. Crumble heaven.