Stovies Recipe

jexygirl

Hi there,
I am looking for a really good stovies recipe. The one I have used is Ma Broons, as well as various "supposed" scottish cook books (one "scots" cook book spells clootie wrong!) And tho Ma broon does the job, it seems lacking somehow, and people say "its good, but not as good as my mums!" so any scottish mums, dads, or grans n grampas, out there willing to share the secrets it would be greatly appreciated and you would be credited on our specials board with your name as the heading!
Any suggestions or even variations appreciated!
Thanks alot
Jex

pogofish

Stovies Recipe:

Big pot

Much peeled, sliced tatties, put in pot, with or without roughly cut onion, neep, carrot, leek &/or any other veg you happen to have sitting about plus chopped-up steak, mince, lamb or any kind of meat leftover (personally I'm nae fond of corned beef in stovies), soggy pastry lovers can chop-up a bradie, And anything else you want then leave to boil til semi-solid, lumpy mush is left. Don't worry about a little burning in the bottom of the pan - Stir it in, it all adds to the flavour.

A veg stock cube in a little water also does wonders for the flavour and some folk do their meat and onions in some lard/dripping first but personally I can do without that indegestion bomb. You can add salt an pepper in cooking or leave it till after.

If you are expecting veggies, leave out the meat and its still delicious!

ailuro2

ah but there's a different recipe for every household as it tends to be made from chopped up leftovers if you're being really traditional - so it would be the remains of sunday dinner topped off with whatever veg was in the pantry and it would all be boiled up in a pot.

I know someone who used broken up tatties, added a tin of corned beef, a tin of beans, a doolop of brown sauce then a little water, that was their idea of stovies... a pal at school had tatties, onions and a stock cube and that was their stovies.

Most foul of all was my mothers - mince cooked with a whole onion so we didn't taste the onion ( yeah right!) then add mashed tatties and a bit of neep. Bleugh!! Yes, this was called Stovies in our house!

pogofish

Yup - Like many traditional Scottish dishes, Stovies are a good example of putting whatever you have to hand to good use and not wasting a thing. So to that end, you pretty much make it up as you go along.

Check-out See Pie for another tattie and seasonal veg based marvel of rib-sticking kitchen efficency. Like the stovies, my gran - raised on a small farm in deepest Aberdeenshire, ensured nothing went to waste with dishes like that.

ljw2701

My Mum's stovies consisted of potatoes and chopped spring onions made with beef dripping - heart attack on a plate but really delicious and always served with a big hunk of cheddar for some reason!!

At school in Aberdeenshire stovies had meat in them and were always served with an oatcake but as a student I shared with a boy from the West coast who said, on sniffing my stewed sausages one day, "ooh, are you making stovies".

Basically, stovies are traditionally not set in stone!

PS My Mum's clootie dumpling was simply the best ever and she always made one on our birthdays complete with silver sixpences kept for the occasion! Sadly, at the time I didn't really appreciate this and for my 14th birthday demanded a shop bought cake - I even kept the silver board and ribbon for many years after. What I'd give for some of my Mum's home cooking now......................

HaggisMuncher

The way I make my stovies (copied from my mum) is to cook your tatties and a chopped onion on a medium heat and add oxo/gravy granules to the water when they are almost done. There shouldn't be too much water left in them and I then add a chopped up tin of corned beef and a tin of beans too - makes a massive pot. Enjoy

jexygirl

I truly appreciate all your responses. It makes me more inclined to actually make my own recipe based on traditions but feel a fake and dont want to just do it, out of total respect for tradition. As well as hearing lovely memories and stories that makes them more special.
@Ljw - your clooties are more special than mine I was simply incensed that it was spelt wrong in a "scottish"traditional cook book!
Thankyou all for your inspiration and thoughts has given me confidence so thank you

pogofish

jexygirl wrote: »

It makes me more inclined to actually make my own recipe based on traditions but feel a fake and dont want to just do it, out of total respect for tradition.

Don't worry about it - just go ahead and make them. The traditional way is to use what you have to hand and your own skills, not follow a recipe!

suzybloo

Stovies in our house, and all our forbarers are: using a heavy bottomed pot over a medium heat: Roast Dripping and the jelly like gravy that settles underneath the dripping, onions, salt and of course tatties.
Put about 1-2oz of the white dripping in a pot and fry the onions in this until they are nearly cooked. Add the gravy then add the diced tatties, finishing off with a good shake of salt. pour water into the pot until you see it coming up through the tatties, put on a tight fitting lid and let it simmer away for 20 mins. Lift the lid, give a good stir and add any remaining ingredient you want to 'beef' up the stovies with. We usually use corned beef, but have used left over mince, stew or even the shredded roasted beef that you get the gravy from. Sometimes I will throw a handfull of frozen peas in, but never use tinned as they will turn you stovies green!!!

jexygirl

Thanks for the tip Suzy! and all who replied, i loved reading them all, and since you all gave me the confidence, I am going for it lol! A bit of everyones suggestions! Chuck it all in, see what happens - what could possibly go wrong...
Will post a pic lol
Thank you all again so much for taking the time to reply
many thanks
Jex