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.

Orcadian Crunchy Trout

This wonderful trout supper dish comes from a member of the family living in the Orkney Islands.

Ingredients
1 cooked trout
1oz flour
1 large can evaporated milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ stick diced celery
2oz fresh breadcrumbs
1oz polenta
2 ½oz butter
salt and pepper

Method
1 Grease a 2 pints baking dish.
2 Skin and flake the trout, discarding the head, fins, skin and bones.
3 Melt 1½oz butter in a saucepan.
4 Add the flour, mix together thoroughly and cook out for 2 minutes, stirring all of the time.
5 Gradually add the evaporated milk, a tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition.
6 Bring to the boil, stirring constantly.
7 Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
8 Add the trout and lemon juice to the sauce.
9 Bring the sauce back to the boil and then reduce to a simmer, stirring frequently.
10 In a mixing bowl melt the remaining butter.
11 Add the breadcrumbs and the polenta and mix together thoroughly.
12 Test the sauce for seasoning and adjust to taste with salt and pepper.
13 Pour the sauce into the prepared baking dish.
14 Pour over the breadcrumb mixture over the top of the pie, do not pat down.
15 Bake at 180 degrees centigrade/gas 4 for about 30 minutes or until the crumble topping is a pale golden brown colour.

Serve straight away with new potatoes and favourite vegetables.

Serves 3

Corsie Orkney Oatcakes

This is a tradition Orcadian family recipe for oatcakes from my Great Uncle Thomas Corsie and his wife Mary. These are absolutely fabulous served with butter and cheese and pickle or with butter and rhubarb and ginger jam

Ingredients
2 cups quick cooking oatmeal
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup melted shortening
3/4 cup luke warm water

Method
1 Mix dry ingredients.
2 Add the melted shortening and water.
3 Roll out very thin, cut like cookies or cut 8" circles in quarters.
4 Bake on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees farenheit (200 degrees centigrade/gas mark 6 for 15 to 20 minutes.
5 Cool on the baking tray on a cooling rack.

Store in an airtight tin.

Corsie Orkney Drop Scones

Another recipe from my Uncle Thomas Corsie and his wife Mary.

Ingredients
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
buttermilk

Method
1 Mix the dry ingredients.
2 Add buttermilk until the mixture is the consistency of powder biscuits.
3 Bake on a griddle on top of the stove until light brown on both side.
4 Place on a dampened tea towel placed on a cooling rack.

Store in an airtight container or can be frozen for about a month.

Corsie Orkney Shortbread

While researching my family history I came accross a newspaper article from the 1950's from an American newspaper. There was an article and a photograph of my great uncle Thomas Corsie and his wife Mary. Included in this article was a recipe for shortbread. This now is the only shortbread that I will eat.

Ingredients
1 lb butter
1/2 lb sugar
2 lbs flour
2 eggs (optional)

Method
1 Rub butter and flour as for pie crust on a table or workbench.
2 Make a well in the centre.
3 Mix eggs and sugar together in the well.
4 Mix all the ingredients and continue rubbing on the board until the mixture forms one solid piece.
5 The dough can be made into cookies or cakes.
6 Bake in the oven at 350 degrees farenheit (180 degrees centigrade/gas mark 4) for 35 minutes or until golden brown.
7 Cool in the tin on a wire rack.
8 While still warm mark into sections.

Makes 4 round biscuits 8" in diameter, 1" thick.

Store in an airtight tin.