Rough Oatcakes

"Oats: - a grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people." Samuel Johnson, author of the first English dictionary, 1755

"Yes, and where else will you see such horses and such men?" - reply from Lord Elibank, Scottish soldier and author.

Oats have been a staple grain of Scotland for centuries. It is said that they are one of the few grains that can withstand the harsh Scottish climate. These delicious oatcakes are simple to make and can be eaten sweet or savoury.

I remember reading a story years ago about Sir James Douglas, "the Black Douglas", or "Good Sir James" (depending on your point of view), the friend and trusted captain of Robert the Bruce, during the Scottish Wars of Independence. The Bruce gave Douglas the task of leading raiding parties into English territory, causing as much disruption as possible, and then returning under cover of darkness. The Scots had to travel light if they were to be effective, and so carried with them a bag of oats under their saddles, which they would mix with water and bake on their shields into a flat cake. These cakes were quick and easy to cook and could be eaten as they rode. The nutritious oats would sustain them on their journey. The Scots' success in raiding parties and ease in avoiding capture made Douglas the scourge of England. The English tried to copy the Scots' tactics, with their soldiers placing loaves of bread under their saddles as they rode. When they came to eat, however, the bread was soaked through with horse sweat and inedible!

We live in more civilised times now, although it appears the Scottish dream of independence has not diminished!


Ingredients

300g rough oats
50g plain flour
50g melted butter
a pinch of salt
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda/baking powder
hot water to mix (250-300ml)

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180 C.

Mix the oats with the flour and baking powder. Add the melted butter and salt and form into a ball of dough. Roll out onto an oats covered work surface to a thickness of about 3mm. Using a pastry cutter or the edge of a glass cut into rounds of about 8cm in diameter.

Place the oatcakes on a lightly greased baking tray in the middle of the oven and bake until golden brown and hard, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.

Oatcakes are delicious with a range of accompaniments, such as cheese, jam, butter or my personal favourite, cheese spread! These oatcakes will keep in an airtight container for several weeks.

Enjoy!

DID YOU KNOW?

Oatcakes are reported to be the favourite breakfast of the Queen of England, and the favourite cake of David Cameron.

DID YOU KNOW?

Oats are one of the most nutritious and unrefined grains available. They are high in fibre and are thought to help in lowering cholesterol. They are often named in a group of so-called "superfoods".

Tattie Scones

Leftovers. As the holiday season arrives you can be sure that we are all going to cook a lot more than normal, eat a lot more than normal, and quite likely have a lot more left over food than normal. What would Christmas turkey be if it didn't last until almost the New Year?!?! Turkey curry, turkey fried rice, turkey soup, and the ubiquitous turkey sandwiches are all part and parcel (pun intended) of Christmas cuisine.

But what about the other leftovers? There's only so much you can do with day old brussel sprouts or cauliflower, and I would not recommend eating them too many days after you cook them, unless you want some pretty noxious happenings going on in your stomach!

Fortunately though, we have the humble boiled potato (or tattie in the Scottish vernacular), which, while not so inspiring on the day it is cooked, gets a delicious makeover thanks to this traditional Scottish recipe. The great thing about this recipe is that it is so easy to make, and utilises ingredients that everyone has to hand anyway.

Ingredients

500g leftover boiled potatoes

100g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

50g butter

a pinch of salt

oil for frying

Method

Mash the boiled potatoes using a masher or the back of a fork. Add the butter and blend this into the potatoes. Try to gets as many lumps out of the potatoes as you can. Sieve the flour and baking powder into the mashed potatoes and then stir in gently, until you have a ball of dough. If it is too sticky add a little more flour.

Turn the dough onto a clean, lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough out thinly, to about 5mm thickness. Use a biscuit cutter or the top of a glass to cut small rounds of about 2.5cm in diameter. 

In a large heavy bottomed frying pan, heat a little oil over a medium heat. Alternatively if you have a griddle you can fry the scones without any oil. Fry the scones gently 4 or 5 at a time, until they are browned on both sides. This should take around 8-10  minutes.

Serve immediately with a little butter. For an even more savoury variation, add a little grated cheddar cheese to the mashed potato before adding the flour.

Enjoy!

DID YOU KNOW?

Tattie scones are an integral part of the traditional Scottish breakfast, together with fried eggs, square sausage, bacon, baked beans and/or grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, toast and black pudding. All washed down with a strong cup of tea. The perfect way to start the day!

DID YOU KNOW?

A griddle is a cooking utensil with a flat surface for cooking food with no additional oil. In Scotland a griddle is known as a girdle, and can used for making oatcakes, potato scones and traditional Scottish pancakes. Just don't mistake it for your Granny's corset!