Potato Farls

This is a traditional recipe from Ireland. Potatoes are one of the most popular crops to grow in this wonderful green country.

Ingredients
850g potatoes, peeled and halved
pinch salt
30g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
15g melted unsalted butter
Method
1 Place the potatoes in a large saucepan.
2 Cover the potatoes with cold water.
3 Place on the hob over a high heat.
4 Bring to the boil.
5 Add the salt to taste.
6 Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the centre of the potatoes are tender when tested with a skewer, about 18 to 20 minutes.
7 Drain the potatoes into a colander.
8 Return the potatoes to the saucepan.
9 Place the saucepan back over the heat and allow to completely dry out, shaking them occassionally.
10 Mash with a potato masher until smooth.
11 Place the warm mashed potato into a large mixing bowl.
12 Place a sieve over the bowl.
13 Spoon the flour into the sieve.
14 Shake the sieve to allow the flour to fall into the mixing bowl.
15 Stir in flour.
16 Add the melted butter.
17 Mix the ingredients lightly but thoroughly until a sticky ball of dough is formed.
18 Flour a work surface.
19 Place the dough onto the flour.
20 knead the dough lightly.
21 Flour the rolling pin.
22 Use the rolling pin to roll the dough into a 9 inch circle 1/4 inch thick.
23 Dip a knife into flour
24 Cut the dough into quarters (farls).
25 Heat a griddle on the hob.
26 Sprinkle a little flour onto the base of the griddle.
27 Carefully place the farls onto the griddle.
28 Cook the farls for about 3 minutes or until golden brown.
29 Turn the farls over with a fish slice.
30 Cook the second side for about 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve immediately with a little salt.

Skirlie

Is a traditional scottish oats and onions dish which is best served with stovies.

Ingredients
2oz/50g dripping
1 finely chopped onion
6oz/175g oatmeal salt
pepper

Method
1 Melt the dripping in a pan.
2 Add the onion, fry until it is soft but not coloured.3 Stir in the oatmeal.
4 Season with a little salt and pepper.
5 Cook gently for 10 minutes.

Serve immediately to accompany stovies

Savoury Norfolk Dumplings

Dumplings whether savoury or sweet are basic British traditiional fayre. Norfolk is a county in eastern England, it is extreemly flat and well known for growing wheat.

Ingredients
4oz plain flour
4o self-raising flour
salt
4oz suet
5fl oz water
pepper
finely chopped savoury herbs (sage and thyme)

Method
1 Sift the flours and salt together into a large bowl.
2 Add the suet pepper and herbs, mix thoroughly.
3 Make a well in the centre.
4 Add most of the water.
5 Heat the lard until it melts, remove from the hob.
6 Using a wooden spoon or your fingers bring the flours into the liquid, to form a soft dough that is not sticky (add extra warm water if neccessary).
7 Sprinkle a little flour onto a work surface.
8 Roll the pastry to get rid of any cracks.
9 Pull off tiny pieces of pastry.
10 Form the pastry lightly into little balls.
11 Using a slotted spoon drop them into briskly boiling water (or the gravy of the stew).
12 Cook for 20 minutes or until well risen and cooked through.

Serve immediately with the stew, soup or meat and gravy.

Rumbledethumps

Rumbledethumps is the Scottish version of the traditional English dish bubble and squeak. It is most delicious on its own or as an accompaniment to sausages or meat dishes.

The wonderful name Rumbledethumps comes from the noise made in the kitchen as the tatties (potatoes) and cabbage are rumbled and thumped in the preparation.

Ingredients
1 1/2lbs/750g mashed tatties
1/2 par boiled green cabbage
a tablespoon melted unsalted butter
2 finely sliced spring (salad) onions
salt
pepper

Method
1 Place the boiled tatties, cabbage and spring onions into a large saucepan.
2 Combine the mixture thoroughly.
3 Add the butter.
4 Mix again thoroughly.
5 Taste to check for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper to your taste.
Serve piping hot straight onto hot plates.

Serves 4 people.

Bubble And Squeak

A traditional English way of using up cold leftover vegetables from the Sunday Roast meal. It does taste a lot better when you use day old ingredients rather than using freshly cooked vegetables.

Ingredients
450g/1lb peeled and diced floury potatoes
salt
pepper
70g/2 1/2 oz butter
250g/8oz shredded cabbage
3 tbsp water
1oz/28g to 2oz/55g dripping or lard

Method
1 Place the potatoes in a saucepan.
2 Cover with cold water, place on the lid.
3 Place the saucepan on the hob and bring to the boil.
4 Add the salt if using.
5 Reduce the heat to a simmer, cook for about 15 to 20 minutes or until tender.
6 Drain into a colander and then return to the saucepan.
7 Dry the potatoes thoroughly shaking them a couple of times.
8 Add 55g/2oz of the butter.
9 Continue to mash until perfectly smooth.
10 Leave to cool completely
11 Fill another saucepan with the 3 tablespoons of water.
12 Bring to the boil.
13 Add a little salt, if using.
14 Place the cabbage into the saucepan and do not cover.
15 Bring the water to the boil again.
16 Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook gently for 5 minutes, or until tender.
17 Drain the cabbage into a colander and then return to the saucepan.
18 Dry the cabbage thoroughly.
19 Add the remaining 1/2oz/15g butter.
20 Leave to cool completely.
21 Place the cold mashed potato and cabbage into a large mixing bowl.
22 Mix the cabbage and mashed potato together.
23 Taste the mixture.
24 Adjust the seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
25 Heat a large frying pan on the hob over a medium heat.
26 Add 1oz/28g of the dripping or lard to the frying pan.
27 Add the potato and cabbage mixture.
28 Press the mixture to form a flat cake with the back of a fish slice or spatula.
29 Cook for about 15 minutes or until golden brown on the underside.
30 Place a large plate over the frying pan.
31 Carefully tip the frying pan over so that the bubble and squeak cake drops onto the plate.
32 Add a little of the remaining dripping or lard and allow to melt.
33 Transfer the bubble and squeak cake off the plate and into the frying pan.
34 Cook the other side for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Transfer onto a plate, cut into wedges and serve with cold roasted meat, sausages, bacon or a good quality burger with seasonal vegetables.

Serves 4 people

Notes
White or green cabbage can be used.

A finely diced onion can be added, soften in a little oil or butter and then add to the mashed potato and cabbage mixture.

Spinach, shredded Brussels sprouts and kale can also be used, simply substitute for the cabbage.

Substitute the lard for a healthier oil, you will require 3 to 4 tablespoons or 1oz/28g butter and 1 to 2 tablepoons oil.

Clapshaw

This is a traditional savoury dish from the Orkney Islands. The secret is to boil the neeps and tatties together in the same saucepan, the taste is simply not the same cooked any differently. Clapshaw is also known as Orkney Clapshot or south in Scotland as clapshot.

Ingredients
500g peeled and diced neeps
500g peeled and diced tatties
50g dripping
salt
pepper

Method
1 Place the neeps in a saucepan.
2 Cover with cold water.
3 Place the saucepan on the hob and bring to the boil.
4 Add a pinch of salt.
5 Cover with a lid.
6 Reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 8 minutes.
7 Add the tatties, making sure that they are barely covered.
8 Bring the vegetables back to the boil.
9 Cover with a lid.
10 Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the neeps and tatties are tender.
11 Drain the vegetables into a colander and return to the pan.
12 Dry the vegetables completely, shaking the saucepan occassionally.
13 Mash with a potato masher thoroughly, leaving in any fibrous neep fibres.
14 Add the dripping.
15 Mash again.
16 Beat the puree with a wooden spoon.
17 Place back on the heat.
18 Heat thoroughly.

Serve immediately with sausages or beef dishes.

Serves 4 people.

Notes
A pinch of nutmeg can be added when the tatties and swede are mashed.

Butter can be used instead of the traditional dripping.

Some people have been known to use chives or shallots as well.

If there is any left over form into a patty, cover and leave in the fridge. Fry the next day in a little lard or butter or oil and butter until browned on both sides.