Recipes: Oats

Published on Sunday 24 January 2010 10:48

According to a definition in Samuel Johnson's 1755 Dictionary of the English Language, oats were "a grain which in England is generally given to horses, but which in Scotland supports the people."

Oats are rich in carbohydrates and vitamin B1 as well as being a good source of protein, iron, zinc, vitamins B2 and E and poly-unsaturated fats. Of course porridge and haggis use oatmeal as their principal ingredient. Next week, people will gather to celebrate the works of Robert Burns over peasant dishes made from the humble oat.

1 Easy haggis 225g beef liver; 2 lamb's kidneys; 350g lamb shoulder; 125g beef suet, chopped; 2 onions, finely diced; 125g coarse oatmeal; 250ml stock (made from the meats); 1 tsp allspice, freshly ground; salt; pepper

Cover the meats with water and bring to the boil, then skim and simmer over a medium heat for an hour. Cool and then drain, reserving the stock. Grate the liver and chop the other meats finely, then toast the oatmeal. In a bowl, mix the meats, suet, onions, allspice and oatmeal together with 250ml of the reserved stock and season with salt and plenty of black pepper. Grease a Pyrex bowl, add the mixture and cover tightly with three layers of foil. Steam on a rack in a pan of boiling water for two hours, adding more water as it boils away.

2 Sweet haggis 250g medium oatmeal; 125g pinhead oatmeal; 125g whole-wheat flour; 350g beef suet, finely chopped; 125g soft brown sugar; 125g currants; 125g raisins; salt; pepper; water

Mix the ingredients to a stiff consistency with water. Grease a two-pint pudding bowl with melted butter. Put the mixture into the bowl and cover with a double thickness of foil, with a pleat folded in the middle to allow for expansion. Grease the underside of the foil lid to prevent it sticking and secure with an elastic band or string.

Steam for 90 minutes. Remove the bowl and take off the lid, then run a knife round the edge of the haggis to loosen it. Invert on to a plate to serve.

3 Orcadian oatmeal soup 50g butter; 2 leeks, finely chopped, white and green separated; 4 medium carrots, grated; turnip, grated; 50g fine oatmeal; 1 litre water or vegetable stock; 1 litre milk

Melt the butter and add the vegetables, reserving the green parts of the leek. Sweat over a medium heat for five minutes and stir in the oatmeal. Continue cooking for a couple of minutes, stirring all the time. Add the water or stock and bring slowly to a gentle simmer, cooking the vegetables until just soft (five minutes). Add enough milk to make a fairly thick consistency, then add the green parts of the leeks and heat through. Season with salt and pepper and serve garnished with chopped parsley.

4 The Duke's Atholl brose (original) 175g medium oatmeal, lightly toasted; 450ml water; 4 tbsp heather honey; 1 bottle malt whisky

Soak the oatmeal in the water overnight. In the morning, strain the liquid through a fine sieve or muslin cloth into a bowl. Pour the whisky out of the bottle and into a jug or decanter. Mix the mealy liquid with the honey and pour into the empty whisky bottle. Pour as much of the whisky back into the bottle as will fit and shake well before use. Use the remaining strained oats to make porridge, but what to do with the leftover whisky? Well, it is a fire hazard…

5 Oat and herb crust venison 25g butter; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 clove garlic, crushed; 8 juniper berries, crushed; 1kg boneless venison fillet; 100g oatmeal, half medium, half pinhead; 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped; 1 tbsp rosemary, finely chopped

Heat the butter and a tablespoon of the oil in a roasting tin on the stove and add the garlic and juniper berries. Cook for one minute. Season the venison with salt and pepper and brown the meat in the hot oil. Leave to cool for ten minutes.

Mix together the remaining oil, oatmeal, herbs and plenty of salt and pepper, then press this over the meat. Return the venison to the tin and roast at 230C for eight mins per 500g and 15 mins resting in an oven cooled to 150C for rare and for ten mins per 500g with 20 mins resting for medium.

&#149 This article was first published in Scotland on Sunday on 24 January, 2010