Join us as we visit Scotland by making Scottish recipes and eating delicious Scottish food!! Since we aren’t traveling to far-away countries right now, we’ve gathered some recipes and tips to help you have a Scottish food experience at home (yes, we have a source for haggis). So dig in – these recipes are fantastic!!
Burns Supper Recipes: Celebrate the Scottish National Poet with these Tasty Recipes
Burns Supper celebrates that quintessential Scottish poet and writer, Robert Burns. So don your plaid, cue up some bagpipe music (Scotland the Brave, anyone?), invite friends for a (virtual) Burns supper, read some of his poetry to celebrate Scottish history, culture, and life, and enjoy this unmistakably Scottish, distinctly unforgettable meal.
Supper begins with a Scottish grace, followed by a soup course – try this delicious Scotch Broth recipe. Then pipe in the haggis – no, you don’t have to make the haggis, you can order canned haggis. But be sure to prepare the neeps and tatties (mashed turnips/rutabagas and potatoes) yourself. And you must recite the Address to a Haggis (you might want to hear a Scot recite it before trying yourself) before digging in!!
After this undeniably unforgettable main course, have a typical Scottish food for dessert, or pudding – fancy some Cranachan (fresh raspberries with lightly sweetened whisky-laden whipped cream), or would you prefer oatcakes and sharp British cheese?
Finish up this remembrance of both Robert Burns and Scottish culture with stories, toasts, Scottish songs, poems, and compliments. The wash dinner down with a wee dram of Scottish whisky, or “water of life” (aka uisge beatha in Scottish Gaelic). And sing Auld Lang Syne together to end your celebration. By the way, though most Burns suppers occur on 25 January (Robert Burns’s birthday), you can celebrate Scottish culture and literature year-round.
Easy and Savory Scottish Appetizer Recipes
Smoked salmon makes an easy and tasty appetizer – simply put thin slices or sections atop tattie scones (a sort of thin hashbrown patty), water crackers, or create small smoked salmon sandwich bites. Be sure to share with minuscule pieces of fresh lemon!! Prefer a warm starter? Try Scotch Broth or Cock-a-leekie soup – both are straightforward, simple, and undeniably tasty.
For the Main Course – Scottish Entree Recipes
Everyone knows that when you visit Scotland, you’ll enjoy fish and beef. Two fish-based Scottish foods that transport us straight to Scotland are Kedgeree and Cullen Skink. Both dishes are easy to make with ingredients that are (somewhat) easy to obtain. Cullen Skink, a creamy smoked fish-leek-and-potato soup, can be used as a starter but is hearty enough to fill you up as an entree. Pair it with a salad and some fresh-baked bread, and be transported to the misty shores of northeast Scotland, where this delish dish was created.
Or try your hand at Kedgeree, a dish that started in India as khichri. Originally a rice and lentils dish, kedgeree was changed into a rice and fish dish and taken back to the UK during the 18th century. Its fascinating history aside, Kedgeree can be as simple or complex as you like – it tastes great and is equally suitable to breakfast and dinner. Pair with a salad, or one of the interestingly named traditional Scottish sides, and you’ll have a fantastic repast.
If you prefer beef (or a vegetarian entree), then give Mince and Tatties a try. Mince is the British word for ground beef – to make Mince and Tatties vegetarian, substitute Beyond Beef crumbles or MorningStar Farms Grillers Crumbles for the ground beef. Either way that you make this Scottish food, you are sure to enjoy Mince and Tatties.
Recipes to Accompany Your Main Course: Scottish Sides
Scottish food has some of the most unusual names: Rumbledethumps, Skirlie, and Clapshot spring to mind. Add any one of these three as a side to any of the entrees, and you’ll have a perfect (and perfectly delicious) Scottish meal.
Rumbledethumps, from the Scottish Borders area, is a mixed vegetable casserole of sorts, using potatoes, cabbage, and onion with butter and cheese to create an ultimate comfort food. Clapshot, a Scottish recipe from the far north Orkney Islands, involves turnips or rutabagas, potatoes, and onions. Skirlie, a Scottish food typical in the northern half of Scotland, uses steel-cut oats and either beef drippings or butter to make a nutty, tasty stuffing-like side. No matter which side dish you choose, you’ll be transported to Scotland in a flash, so start cooking!!
For the Sweetest Course, Try these Scottish Dessert Recipes
No matter how you mix and match the Scottish entree and side dishes, you’ll want to finish your virtual visit to Scotland using a Scottish dessert recipe. Cranachan is delightful, as is another Burns supper favorite: Tipsy Laird Trifle. Or perhaps try oatcakes and cheese (with a wee dram of Scottish whisky, of course!) for a savory end to your meal. You can always purchase oatcakes, but this recipe is straightforward, simple to make, and tasty to boot.
Of course, everyone knows about shortbread, but did you know it originated in Scotland? Original shortbread is nothing short of divine, but millionaires shortbread takes this delicious baked good to new heights of decadence. Millionaire’s shortbread is a Scottish recipe that adds a layer of homemade caramel toffee to the shortbread base, then tops it all with creamy chocolate. If you prefer candy to finish your Scottish meal, try your hand at making Scottish Tablet. Tablet is more of a candy than traditional Scottish food for dessert, but it’s certainly worth making for an indulgent end to the day. You’ll certainly visit Scotland when tasting these delicious sweets!!
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