I think you'll always do well with a thick soup or stew, since it can be cooked ahead and heated up, and you don't have to worry about what it looks like if it gets shaken up in travelling, and it is easy to make the recipe bigger for more people. This is one I found on the web that looks good. I think the green beans are a little odd (carrots would work nicely), but the rest looks pretty normal Scottish ingredients.
Scottish Recipes: Scottish Stew
Serves 5-8
Ingredients:
2 lb (1.0 kg) boneless lamb cut into large cubes 1 medium to large onion cut into thin wedges 1 bay leaf 1-2 tsp (5-10 ml) salt 1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground black pepper 2 c beef broth 2 c water 2 medium potatoes, cut into small cubes(2 cups) 1 medium turnip,peeled and chopped(1 cup) 1 9 oz (252 grm) package of frozen cut green beans 3/4 tsp (4 ml) dried parsley 1/4 tsp (1 ml) dried basil 1/4 tsp (1 ml) dried oregano
Preparation:
1. In a dutch oven or large saucepan combine lamb, onion, bayleaf, salt, pepper, beef broth and water.
2. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 2 hours.
4. Add the rest of the ingredients.
5. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
6.Adjust the seasonings and serve.
I think it might be best to undercook the vegetables a little, since you are going to heat it up again later. Also -- I would not use boneless lamb -- I would make sure I had some good lamb bones (maybe a shank or some neck bones) in there while the stew is cooking. The marrow from lamb bones adds such a savory taste and texture to the broth!! I think you could substitute thyme for oregano, too, if you like it better.
If you want to really wow them, serve this with simple oatcakes (little bannocks), butter and jam. These are best fresh, but they will travel with wax paper between them, and reheat once:
Bannocks Recipe ingredients 1 pound of fine oatmeal ˝ ounce of baking powder 1 ounce of butter 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions To prepare this Bannocks Recipe, first mix together the oatmeal and baking powder, rub in the butter, and make into a stiff dough with water. Roll out as thin as possible; cut into rounds with a tumbler. Butter a frying-pan, and cook a few at a time; when done on one side, turn carefully. Serve with butter or syrup. If more convenient they may be cooked on a well heated soapstone griddle and turned with a cake lifter. You can make fine oatmeal or coarse oat flour by running dry rolled oats (not the quick cooking kind) in a blender to pulverize.
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