10 Unique Scottish Dishes and Traditions You Should Know

Scottish cuisine is a celebration of hearty ingredients and time-honored traditions. In this collection of recipes, we share some of Scotland’s most beloved dishes, complete with simple instructions and ingredient lists. From the iconic haggis to the classic cranachan, these recipes will transport you to the rugged landscapes and rich cultural heritage of Scotland.

Haggis

To make haggis, you’ll need sheep’s liver, heart, and lungs, along with onions, oatmeal, suet, spices (salt, pepper, nutmeg), and stock. Clean and prepare the sheep’s offal by boiling it for two hours. Once cooled, mince the offal and mix it with finely chopped onions, toasted oatmeal, suet, and spices. Stuff this mixture into a sheep’s stomach and boil it for three hours. Serve with neeps (turnips) and tatties (potatoes).

Scotch Broth

For Scotch broth, gather mutton or lamb neck, barley, carrots, leeks, onions, and a variety of root vegetables (turnips, parsnips). Simmer the mutton or lamb neck in water for two hours to create a rich broth. Add barley and simmer for another 30 minutes. Chop the vegetables and add them to the pot, cooking until tender. Season with salt and pepper, and serve hot.

Cullen Skink

This hearty soup requires smoked haddock, potatoes, onions, and milk. Poach the smoked haddock in milk until cooked, then flake the fish and set aside. Sauté chopped onions in butter until soft, then add diced potatoes and cook for a few minutes. Pour in the poaching milk and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Add the flaked haddock back into the soup and season with salt and pepper. Serve with crusty bread.

Cranachan

For this traditional Scottish dessert, you’ll need double cream, Scottish oats, raspberries, honey, and whisky. Toast the oats in a pan until golden brown. Whip the double cream until it forms stiff peaks, then fold in honey and a splash of whisky. Layer the cream mixture with fresh raspberries and toasted oats in serving glasses. Chill before serving.

Stovies

To make stovies, gather leftover roast beef or lamb, potatoes, onions, and beef stock. Sauté sliced onions in a pot until softened. Add diced leftover meat and sliced potatoes. Pour in enough beef stock to just cover the ingredients. Simmer until the potatoes are tender and have absorbed most of the stock. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot with oatcakes.

Shortbread

Classic Scottish shortbread requires butter, sugar, and flour. Cream together 1 cup of softened butter and 1/2 cup of sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually mix in 2 cups of flour to form a dough. Roll out the dough to about 1/2-inch thickness and cut into desired shapes. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 325°F (160°C) for 20 minutes or until lightly golden. Allow to cool before serving.

Black Bun

This rich fruitcake needs dried fruit (currants, raisins, sultanas), flour, sugar, butter, eggs, spices (cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg), and whisky. Mix the dried fruit with flour, sugar, and spices. Cream the butter and sugar together, then add beaten eggs and a splash of whisky. Combine the dry and wet ingredients to form a thick batter. Line a loaf tin with pastry, pour in the fruit mixture, and cover with more pastry. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 2.5 hours. Allow to cool completely before slicing.

Arbroath Smokies

These smoked haddocks are prepared by gutting and cleaning the fish, then dry-salting them overnight. Rinse the fish to remove excess salt and tie them by the tails in pairs. Hang the fish over a smoky fire made from hardwood and smoke them for about an hour until golden brown and cooked through. Serve with buttered brown bread and lemon wedges.

Tablet

This Scottish confectionery requires sugar, condensed milk, and butter. Melt 4 cups of sugar with 1/2 cup of butter in a large pot. Add 1 can of condensed milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes until the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage (240°F/115°C). Remove from heat and beat the mixture until it thickens and turns grainy. Pour into a buttered tray and let it set before cutting into squares.

Bannocks

To make bannocks, you’ll need flour, oatmeal, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. Mix 2 cups of flour with 1 cup of oatmeal, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and a pinch of salt. Gradually add enough buttermilk to form a soft dough. Roll out the dough to about 1/2-inch thickness and cut into rounds. Cook on a hot griddle or frying pan for about 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Serve warm with butter.

This article originally appeared on RetailShout.

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