NEIL'S RECIPES: ARBROATH SMOKIE AND TOASTED OAT SALAD

“This is a delicious little salad, full of flavour and helpful to have most of the work done beforehand. It looks light and summery, but it is rich—so do not make the salads too big. The crème fraîche really helps, and the oats should be gently toasted.”

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

2 Arbroath smokies

4 dollops of crème fraîche

2 tablespoons pinhead oats, lightly toasted

4 small handfuls of washed salad leaves, I like a good mix from Phantassie Organic, but rocket is just as good

A squeeze of half a lemon

Good salt and pepper

2 radishes, very thinly sliced

A wee trickle of cold-pressed rapeseed oil

METHOD

Heat the oven to 150°C. Place the smokies on an ovenproof tray and warm them for around 15 to 20 minutes. Then allow them to cool slightly before peeling the skin off and removing the bones. Keep to one side.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the salad leaves, oats (save a few for a garnish) and crème fraîche. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice before adding the flaked smokies to the bowl.

Give it a good mix and add a drizzle of cold-pressed rapeseed oil. Have a taste, it may need some more seasoning.

To plate up, distribute the salad between 4 plates and scatter the radishes on top. Then add a few more toasted oats. Delicious.

NEIL'S RECIPES: QUEEN OF PUDDINGS

“A well-deserved title and rarely seen on a menu these days. This recipe is a fabulous way to use up leftover cake. I love that phrase - leftover cake. Is there such a thing? But replacing cake crumbs with breadcrumbs is equally delicious. It’s also a brilliant way to clear the cupboard of old jam. This proper pudding is best served warm so make it and let it sit for a bit before serving. Try serving this one for friends on a bleak, wintery day.”

Makes one pudding

INGREDIENTS

Half a loaf of good bread, and/or cake crumbs, 200g in total

Zest of one lemon

A pinch of nutmeg

220g caster sugar

A knob of butter

4 eggs, separated

2 large tablespoons of any jam you like, I like bramble but raspberry is good

350ml milk

350ml double cream

METHOD

Firstly, mix the cake and bread crumbs into the milk and cream then add the nutmeg, lemon peel and half the sugar. Give it a good mix then add the egg yolks and mix again. Place into a butter-lined ovenproof dish.

Next, dot wee knobs of butter over the top of the mix. Place the dish in a roasting tin half-filled with hot water and bake at 180°C for 40 to 45 minutes, until just firm to the touch. The deeper the dish, the longer it will take.

Allow to cool slightly then whisk the egg whites until stiff then add gradually add the remaining sugar, a little at a time to make a meringue. Pipe or spoon the meringue in small circles around the edge of the bread pudding (to resemble a crown) and glaze under the grill.

Melt the jam in a pot on the stove and spoon into the centre of the crown of meringue. Serve warm.

NEIL'S RECIPES: SUMMER PUDDING

"This is a great recipe for using the frozen berries we harvested throughout the summer. It’s important to use blackcurrants for this dish as they give the bread a deep colour and a wonderful summery taste. I like to serve this with extra-thick double cream, but ice-cream will do. Ensure you use enough sugar, otherwise it can end up being a tad tart."

Serves 4

20 minutes prep, 20 minutes cooking

INGREDIENTS

4 to 6 slices of white bread, the best you can find, not too thickly cut, crusts removed

4 handfuls of blackcurrants

4 handfuls of redcurrants

8 large strawberries, tops removed

A handful of brambles

A handful of raspberries

Extra berries for garnish

2 to 3 tablespoons of caster sugar

1/2 a vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped out

4 dollops of extra-thick double cream

METHOD

Firstly line 4 dariole moulds or tea cups with oiled cling film. I would suggest using 2 to 3 layers.  Line the moulds with the bread to create an outer layer, leaving a piece of bread for the top of each pudding. Set to one side.

Now, give the berries a good wash and place them in a pot with the sugar and vanilla. Place on a gentle heat and bring to a simmer. Turn up the heat a little and boil for a few minutes until all the berries have softened. 

Remove the pan from the heat and tip the berries into a sieve, returning the liquid to the boil to reduce by half. Place the berries in the centre of the lined moulds and seal with a piece of bread.

Once the berry juice has reduced, pour it over the puddings, ensuring the liquid stains the bread. Reserve 2 tablespoons for serving. Wrap the cling film over to seal and place a weight on top. Pop into the fridge overnight. 

To serve, turn out the puddings onto plates and garnish with a few berries and the reduced berry juice. Serve with extra-thick double cream.

NEIL'S RECIPES: CARAMELISED ONION AND CLAVA BRIE TARTS

“This is a delicious way of doing something a bit different with a good, ripe brie. I adore Clava brie—it’s made just outside Inverness using organic milk and has a wonderful flavour. I always buy my cheese way before I need it as to ensure it’s at its ripe best. Great served here in a tart.” 

Makes 4 small tarts

INGREDIENTS

250g plain flour

125g unsalted butter, diced small

Cold water to bind the pastry

12 slices Clava brie

2 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced

A good handful of purple sprouting broccoli, woody stalks removed

Good salt and pepper

50ml cold-pressed rapeseed oil

A few sprigs of thyme

METHOD

To make the pastry for the tart cases, add the plain flour and the diced butter to a mixing bowl and rub together until they resemble breadcrumbs. Then add a pinch of salt and trickle in enough cold water to make a good pastry dough. Wrap the dough in cling film and place in the fridge for an hour or so to rest.

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Lightly grease and flour 4 small tart tins. Remove the chilled dough from fridge and flour the work surface. Cut the pastry into four evenly-sized pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Then roll each ball into 2mm-thick circles and place into the cases, trimming off the edges of any excess pastry. Blind bake with greaseproof paper (or 3 layers of cling film) and baking beans for 40 to 50 minutes - until the tarts are crisp and golden brown.

To caramelise the onions, heat 25ml of oil in a pot then add the sliced onions. Season with salt and pepper then put the lid on and cook on a medium heat for about an hour, stirring occasionally. The onions should be golden and caramelised. Remove from the heat and stir in a few sprigs of thyme.

Divide the onions between the 4 tart shells, then lay 3 slices of Clava brie on top of each tart and trickle with a little oil. Top with some thyme leaves and season again. Gently warm the tarts under the grill or in the oven.

Next, bring a pot of water to the boil and blanch the purple sprouting broccoli for 3 to 4 minutes until tender. Remove from the water and season.

Divide the broccoli between 4 warmed plates and place the tarts on top. Trickle any remaining oil all over the tarts and broccoli. Serve immediately.

NEIL'S RECIPES: MUSSEL AND LEEK BROSE

“This dish has so much flavour and is easy to make. Oats have been a staple in Scotland for centuries, and this mussel and leek dish ticks a box for historical accuracy. I like using Shetland Blue Shell mussels as they’re very sustainable.”

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 large leek, halved, washed and chopped

2 big handfuls of Shetland Blue Shell mussels, beards removed and cleaned

1 shallot, roughly chopped

1 sprig of thyme

1 clove of garlic

A splash of white wine

200g pinhead oats, steeped overnight in water

100g butter

Blanched baby leeks and seaweed for garnish

1 tablespoon chopped curly parsley

Good salt and pepper

METHOD

Place a large pot with a lid on the hob and get it quite hot. Throw in the mussels, thyme, garlic and shallot then add the wine. Give the pot a shake and put the lid on.

Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring once or twice then remove from heat and allow to cool.

Remove half of the mussels from the shells and reserve the remainder.

Pass the cooking liquid through a fine sieve and reserve.

Add half the butter and two thirds of the leeks to a clean pot and cook for 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until they are nice and soft.

Drain the oats and add them to the leeks, followed by the mussel stock. Season. Keep stirring the oats as they will tend to stick a bit to the bottom of the pot.  You may need to add a glug of water. Cook until the oats begin to resemble cooked porridge, about 15 minutes.

Next, add the remaining leeks, and the other half of the butter, stir and cook until leeks are soften. Check the seasoning and add the parsley.

Stir through the shelled mussels and divide between four warmed bowls. Garnish with the mussels in shells, and some blanched and seasoned baby leeks and seaweed.

NEIL'S RECIPES: GARDEN PEA SOUP WITH SCALLOPS AND BACON

"The warm, sweet, seared scallops contrast superbly with the chilled soup. It’s similar to a Spanish gazpacho but a bit lighter. Great on a hot day if you are eating outside in the garden, and so easy to do. Instead of scallops, try a mix of brown and white crab meat mixed with a little mayo. I always say this, but please don’t be tempted by cheap scallops. Buy hand-dived and ask where they came from."

Serves 4

15 minutes prep, 20 minutes cooking

INGREDIENTS

1 medium-sized onion, peeled and thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

750ml vegetable or chicken stock, or water is fine

250g shelled, podded peas

1-2 tablespoons of cream, optional

4 hand-dived Isle of Mull scallops, cleaned and out of shell

1 small handful of chunky lardons of unsmoked bacon

2 tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil

1 knob of butter

A few mint leaves

Good salt and pepper

A few salad leaves and edible flowers

METHOD

Heat the butter and half oil on a pot, then add the onion and garlic and sweat down very gently for a few minutes, without colouring. Season with salt and pepper, and when softened, add the stock and bring to the boil.

Simmer for a few minutes, then add the peas and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Season again, and add the mint leaves then blitz carefully in a liquidiser until smooth. Add some cream if you like, or more stock to make it easier to blitz. Pass the soup through a fine sieve to ensure it’s rich and silky. Keep in a warm place.

Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and fry the scallops. Season in the pan and cook for a minute or two on each side. As you are frying the scallops, add in the bacon lardons and fry these too. Season as you go. Remove from the pan when just cooked. 

To serve, pour the soup into warmed bowls and place a scallop in the centre of each bowl. Scatter over the lardons of bacon and garnish with a few salad leaves and edible flowers.