“Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne? For auld lang syne, my jo, for auld lang syne, we’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne.”
I have a fascination with all things Scottish. Several years ago, I spent quite a bit of time researching family history in the North Carolina Archives. I now know much about my Scottish heritage and own kilts, scarfs and pins from my clan, Lindsay. Many Beaufortonians also share an interest in Scotland and Scottish heritage. Several local churches even hold annual Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans celebrations. Saturday, January 25th is another opportunity to honor our ties to Scotia (land of the Scots). Burns Night commemorates the birthday of the bard (poet) Robert Burns, who was born in 1759. It also celebrates Burns’ contribution to Scottish culture. His best-known work is Auld Lang Syne. The festivities are held in the evening and feature a Burns Supper that typically includes a meal of haggis, neeps and tatties; recitations of Burns’ poems and songs; tributes, speeches, and toasts to the memory of Burns; and toasts to the lassies and laddies. Guests wear kilts. Scottish guests wear their family’s tartan. This week’s recipes highlight traditional Scottish recipes that I’ve converted into canapes and dessert to be served with haggis, neeps, and tatties. If you’d like to purchase actual biadhan (that’s Scottish for ‘food’) visit scottishgourmetusa.com. I purchased Haggis Sauce, Oat Crackers and Selkirk Bannocks from them and was very pleased. Here’s a wee bit of trivia for you to share with your Burns Night guests. The traditional Scottish Gaelic toast when raising a glass to say ‘cheers’ is Slàinte Mhath which is pronounced slan-ge-var. Aye! How fun is that?
Deconstructed Scotch Eggs with Highlander Mustard
This lighter version of an old favorite features a delicious fiery mustard.
For the mustard:
1 cup Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon scotch whisky
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon sea salt
For the canapes:
6 large eggs
1¼ pounds (5 sausages) mild Italian sausage
Oat, multigrain or whole wheat crackers
Italian parsley, to garnish
Mix mustard ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours before using. In a medium saucepan, cover the eggs with about 1-inch of cold water. Place the lid on the pan and bring the eggs to a boil. Immediately turn off the heat and set the pan aside for 15 minutes. Remove the eggs from the pan and plunge into a bowl of cold water. Once cooled, remove the eggs from the shells. Slice eggs into rounds. Remove casings from sausages and divide each sausage into 6 pieces. Form into small patties and saute until brown and cooked through. To assemble the canapes, put a hearty dot of Highlander Mustard on each cracker round. Top with a slice of egg and a warm sausage patty. Garnish with a leaf of Italian sausage. Makes 30.
Balmoral Bites
A super easy party nibble with a Scottish twist.
8 chicken tenders, cut into thirds
6 large white mushrooms, quartered
12 slices bacon, halved
Grains of paradise or dried sage
Haggis sauce or redcurrant jelly
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Wrap a piece of chicken tenderloin and a slice of mushroom in a halved slice of bacon and place seam side down on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and brush liberally with haggis sauce or jelly. Continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes more or until bacon is crispy and chicken is cooked through. Serve hot. Makes 24.
Selkirk Bannock Bread and Butter Pudding with Butterscotch Whisky Sauce
Selkirk Bannocks are very dense Scottish raisin breads. Challah bread with a handful of raisins would be a good substitute. This recipe can easily be halved and cooked in an 8×8-inch baking dish. Just reduce the cooking time to 50 to 60 minutes.
For the sauce:
1 (13.25-ounce) jar butterscotch sauce
2 tablespoons scotch whisky
For the bread pudding:
2 (1-pound) Selkirk Bannocks
½ stick butter, melted
6 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons allspice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
In a small bowl, combine butterscotch sauce with scotch whisky; set aside until ready to serve. Slice bannocks into 1-inch cubes, about 12 cups. Spread bread evenly in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Drizzle melted butter over bread. In a large mixing bowl, mix eggs with sugar, cinnamon, allspice, vanilla, milk, and heavy cream. Pour evenly over cubed bread. Let sit for 30 minutes or until bread has absorbed most of the liquid. Lightly mash the bread down with the back of a fork, if necessary. Cover with foil. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 70-80 minutes, removing foil after 60 minutes, to allow the top to brown. The bread pudding is done when it is golden brown and springy to touch. The center of the pudding should be baked through and not at all liquid. Serve warm with Butterscotch Whisky Sauce. Serves 12 to 15.
The writer owns Catering by Debbi Covington and is the author of three cookbooks, Celebrate Beaufort, Celebrate Everything! and Dining Under the Carolina Moon. For more great recipes and to view her cooking demonstrations, visit and subscribe to Debbi’s YouTube channel. Debbi’s website address is www.cateringbydebbicovington.com. She may be reached at 843-525-0350 or by email at dbc@cateringbydebbicovington.com.
