Friendly. Healthy. Community owned.

Robbie Burns DayRecipe Book

Robbie Burns 25 January 1759 - July 1796

A Red, Red Rose

O my Luve's like a red, red roseThat's newly sprung in June;O my Luve's like the melodieThat's sweetly play'd in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,So deep in luve am I:And I will luve thee still, my dear,Till a' the seas gang dry:

Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear,And the rocks melt wi' the sun:I will luve thee still, my dear,While the sands o' life shall run.

And fare thee well, my only LuveAnd fare thee well, a while!And I will come again, my Luve,Tho' it were ten thousand mile.Robert Burns

Celebrate Robbie Burns Day on January 25th! Don yer tartans, eat some taters, raise a glass and recite some poetry - there’s a poem below for a wee bit of inspiration.

Peel and cut rutabaga in half lengthwise. Cut each half lengthwise into quarters; thinly slice crosswise. In saucepan of boiling salted water, cover and cook rutabaga until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In large bowl, whisk cornstarch with water until smooth. Add apples, salt, pepper and savory; toss to coat. Add rutabaga; toss gently.

Spread in 8-inch baking dish. Cover and bake in 350°F (180°C) oven for 20 minutes.

Gratin: In bowl, toss together bread crumbs, parsley and butter; sprinkle over rutabaga mixture. Bake, uncovered, until tender, about 20 minutes. Broil until topping is golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve with fresh parsely sprinkled on top.

recipe found online: canadianliving.com

Rutabaga & Apple Gratin

Ingredients

1 rutabaga1 tbsp (15 mL) cornstarch1/2 cup (125 mL) water2 apples, peeled and grated1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt1 pinch pepper1 pinch dried savory or thyme

Gratin:1/2 cup (125 mL) coarse fresh bread crumbs1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh parsley1 tbsp (15 mL) butter, melted

Scottish Walnut Oatcakes

Ingredients2 cups (500 mL) large-flake rolled oats1/2 cup (125 mL) walnut pieces1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour2 tbsp (30 mL) packed brown sugar1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt1/2 cup (125 mL) cold butter3/4 cup (175 mL) buttermilk

In food processor, pulse oats with walnuts until powdery yet with small pieces; transfer to bowl. Whisk in flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until crumbly; stir in buttermilk to form stiff smooth dough. Form into disc; wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 24 hours.)

On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to scant 1/4-inch (5 mm) thickness. With 2-inch (5 cm) round cookie cutter, cut out rounds, rerolling scraps. Place, 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart, on parchment paper-lined or greased rimless baking sheets.

Bake in top and bottom thirds of 350°F (180°C) oven, rotating and switching pans halfway through, for about 28 minutes or until edges are crisp and golden. Let cool on pan for 5 minutes; transfer to rack and let cool completely. (Make-ahead: Store in airtight container for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month.) Serve with Cheddar Whiskey Spread (see recipe below).

Cheddar Whiskey Spread

Ingredients

1/3 cup (75 mL) hazelnuts2 cups (500 mL) diced extra old Cheddar cheese, at room temperature1/4 cup (60 mL) butter, softened2 tbsp (30 mL) Scotch whisky or milk1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard1/2 tsp (2 mL) pepper

On small rimmed baking sheet, toast hazelnuts in 350°F (180°C) oven until golden and fragrant, about 6 minutes. Let cool; coarsely chop.

In food processor, combine cheese, butter, whisky, mustard and pepper until smooth. Pulse in 1/4 cup (50 mL) of the hazelnuts just until mixed. Scrape into bowl; sprinkle with remaining hazelnuts. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.)

recipes found online: canadianliving.com

Buttermilk Scones

Makes about 9 - 12 scones

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour1/3 cup sugar2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt12 Tablespoons butter (1 1/2 sticks), well chilled1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture. Using knives or your fingers, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture starts to resemble corn meal.

Pour in the buttermilk and stir the dough until it is mostly combined but still a bit messy looking. Place dough onto a clean, floured work surface, kneading it a few times to bring the mass into a more smoother round of dough.

Roll or pat the dough out to about 1/2 inch thick and cut it into whatever shapes you like. Place scones onto a large baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden. Serve immediately.

Cock a Leekie Soup

1 tbsp vegetable oil4-6 chicken thighs180g smoked bacon strips cut into chunks2 carrots, chopped2 celery sticks, chopped1-2 leeks, washed and cut into thick rounds (tops reserved)splash of white wine2 bay leaves½ bunch thyme sprigs15-20 stoned prunes (stones removed)good-quality bread, to serve

Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan until hot. Fry the chicken pieces in batches until golden brown, then remove and set aside. Add the bacon, carrots, celery and leek tops, and fry for 5 mins until it all starts to brown. Pour off any excess fat.

Splash in the wine and boil rapidly, scraping the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken pieces with the herbs and add enough cold water to cover. Slowly bring to the boil, then simmer for 40 mins until the chicken is tender.

Remove the chicken to a plate, cover and leave to cool slightly. Strain the soup into a clean saucepan and discard all the other ingredients. Leave to stand for a few mins and skim off any fat that rises to the top. Pull the meat from the chicken bones and tear and cut into large chunks.

Simmer the soup with the chicken, leeks and prunes for another 20-30 mins. Season to taste and serve with really good bread, or fresh scones.

Image and recipe from BBC Good Food

Fill a large pan with cold water, add a good pinch of sea salt and put it on a high heat. Peel 1 large swede/rutabaga (roughly 1kg), and cut it into 2cm chunks. Once the water is boiling, add the swede and cook for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, peel 1kg of potatoes and cut them into 2.5cm chunks. When the 15 minutes is up, add the potatoes and cook for a further 10 to 15 minutes, or until everything is soft and cooked through. Drain, leave to steam dry for a minute, then mash with a good pinch of salt and white pepper and a knob of butter.

recipe + image found online: jamieoliver.com

Neeps & Tatties

Ingredients

1 kg rutabaga1 kg potatoessea saltwhite pepper1 knob of butter

Potato & Leek Smash

Ingredients

6 Yukon Gold potatoes, (about 3 lb/1.5 Kg)3 tbsp (45 mL) butter2 leeks, white and light green parts only3/4 tsp (4 mL) each salt and pepper1 pinch dried thyme1-1/3 cups (325 mL) buttermilk

Scrub potatoes; cut into 2-inch (5 cm) cubes. In large saucepan of boiling salted water, cover and cook potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and return to pot.

Meanwhile, in small skillet, melt 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the butter over medium heat; fry leeks, a pinch each of the salt and pepper and thyme until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add buttermilk and remaining butter, salt and pepper to potatoes; smash with potato masher until smooth with a few large pieces remaining. Stir in leek mixture.

recipe found online: canadianliving.com

Hemp Heart Salmon Cakes

Makes 6-7 cakes, depending on the size

Ingredients

2, 6 oz cans skinless boneless wild Alaskan pink salmon (no salt added) - we like Rain Coast 2-3 Tbsp hemp hearts1-2 Tbsp dried breadcrumbs1 egg1 medium shallot, minced1 clove garlic, minced1 Tbsp capers1 Tbsp chopped cilantro1/2 Tbsp dijon mustard1 tsp chopped fresh dill1/2 celery stalk, chopped1/2 tsp prepared horseradish1/2 tsp Tamari1/2 tsp honey1/4 tsp sea salt

Drain the salmon from the cans and place into a medium bowl. Add everything but the egg, breadcrumbs and hemp hearts to the bowl. Mix thoroughly with your hands, then add the rest of the ingredients, again mix with your hands.

Form into palm sized cakes, about 3/4 inch thick. Heat a cast iron skillet, or non-stick frying pan over medium heat, add a little bit of oil and once pan is heated add the cake. Sear about 3 mins each side until golden brown.

Serve on fresh arugula with Potato & Leek Smash or Neeps & Tatties.

Ingredients

1.25kg potatoes, cut into even-sized pieces50g butterLarge handful of spinach (and or kale)2 shallots, very finely chopped2 bay leavesSplash of extra-virgin olive oil125g Parmesan, grated

Preheat the oven to 390°F. Cook the potatoes in boiling, salted water for 10-12 minutes until tender. Drain well and return to the pan over the heat and dry out for about 1 minute, shaking the pan well. Mash the potatoes with plenty of seasoning and half the butter and put aside.

In a separate pan, gently cook the shallots and bay leaves in the oil for 6-8 minutes until softened. Add the cream and bring just to the boil. Remove from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan, lemon juice, and parsley.

Cut the fish into bite-sized pieces and put into a buttered ovenproof dish with the prawns. Tear up the spinach and toss together with the fish. Remove the bay leaves from the sauce and pour into the dish, shaking it so it all distributes evenly. Spoon over the mash and dot with the remaining butter. Put on a tray and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden and bubbling. Garnish with the parsely.

284ml carton double cream (or alternative cream)Juice of 1/2 lemon1 handful of flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped250g cod or haddock fillet, skinned and boned (You can use any firm white fish, unsmoked or smoked.)250g large shelled tiger prawns250g salmon fillet, skinned and boned

Fish pie

Serves 4. 40 minutes prep ~ 30 minutes to bake