Curried Oat Crusted Smoked Haddock Fishcakes

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Smoked Haddock Fishcakes

I am so lucky, I recently moved home and now live in an area where you can get some of the freshest fish delivered straight to your door! I am an absolutely lover of all things seafood, well, who wouldn’t living in Scotland! We have 12,000km of coastline with cold clear waters, which has a rich range of over 60 different species, landed from Scottish waters. Scotland has a global reputation for the quality and range of its seafood.

I have a local fish van that delivers straight to my door every week, so this week he had some lovely fresh Smoked Haddock which I just had to get. Initially, I bought it to make my favourite Cullen Skink Soup but we then decided we fancied trying something different. So after scanning my cupboards for ideas, this little Indian spiced fishcake was the outcome. Super tasty and a perfect combo with the smoked haddock. The spices enhanced the flavour of the haddock, a blend of cumin, coriander, garam masala and turmeric works wonders on these fishcakes!

Makes 6 Large ones or 10-12 smaller cakes

600g Smoked Haddock

550g Potatoes (I used Highland Baby potatoes from Scotty Brand, but Maris Pipers are good too)

6-7 Spring Onions – chopped

2 Tbsps Butter

1 Tbsp of Curried Spices (made up from 1/2 tsp ground cumin, ground coriander, garam masala, 1/4 tsp Turmeric)

Salt & Pepper to taste

50g Golden Breadcrumbs

50g Scottish Oats – toast the oats (gently toast in a hot pan, few minutes only, allow to cool)

1 Tbsp Oil

2 Tbsp Flour

1 Egg, whisked

  1. Cook the potatoes until soft, so that you can mash. Best to boil them for about 20 minutes on hob or if you have a steam pot, then Steam cook for about 10 minutes. (I kept the skin on as I feel there is more flavour). Once cooked set aside to cool.
  2. Cook the smoked haddock, I steam cooked mine for about 7 minutes, if you don’t have a steamer then place fish in a pan of milk and cook gently covered for about 8 minutes or until fish is cooked through. (remove liquid and set aside to cool)
  3. Put a tbsp of butter into a pan and saute the spring onions until soft, just a few minutes.
  4. Mash up the potatoes and place in a mixing bowl. Using 2 forks, shred up the cooked fish and place into the bowl with the potatoes, add the spring onions, next add in all your spices and season generously. Get in there with your clean hands and mix through until combined.
  5. Shape the cakes into balls and place on a sheet of baking paper on an ovenproof tray and gently flatten into cakes. (I made mine about 1″ thick) Put into the fridge for about 20-30 minutes.
  6. In separate bowls have your flour, egg & oat/breadcrumb mixture ready. Dip the cake into the flour then into the egg then roll in the oat crumb mixture ensuring fully coated.
  7. Heat a little oil in a fry pan and cook the cakes each side for 2 minutes to seal to oat crumb. Place back onto the baking tray.
  8. Preheat your oven to 200 deg and bake for about 20-25 minutes. Serve with some cool mayo or tomato relish.
  9. These can be frozen and kept up to 3 months too, so great for batch cooking.

Scottish Oat & Pistachio Crusted Cod

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Scottish Cod

I am very lucky to live in a Country with an amazing Food Larder and 1 type of Food that Scotland is known for is it’s Fresh Fish, the Scottish Fishing Industry is currently worth around £316 million to Scotland, unfortunately that number has went down recently due to Covid, but at the height back in 2015 it was worth nearly £437 million. Most of its catch comes in from Aberdeen, then some from central and southern areas. Some of the most popular seafood caught in Scotland are mainly shellfish such as Mussels, Shrimp & Crab but also Salmon, Cod, Haddock & Mackerel.

My local Fishmonger Ryan Black, is from a nearby Town called Kirkcaldy which is in the Fife region, they provide a fantastic service and deliver straight to your door, straight from the shore. There is nothing better than getting the freshest fish delivered the same day. I got some lovely pieces of Cod for dinner.

Having some Pistachios in my cupboard to be used, I decided to try my Pistachio Crust recipe with the Cod and it worked a treat….super delicious, healthy and quick mid week meal.

Serves 2

2 Cod Fillets

25g Pistachio’s

20g Scottish Oats

1 Tbsp Mustard Powder or 2 Tsp Dijon Mustard

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 Tsp Dried Parsley or small handful of fresh

  1. Line a baking Tray with greaseproof paper and preheat your oven to fan 210 deg C
  2. Using a processor, blitz the pistachios and oats together with the parsley until roughly chopped
  3. If using mustard powder, take 1 tbsp into a bowl and squeeze 1 tbsp lemon juice in and mix into a paste, leave to sit for 10 minutes to allow flavour to develop.
  4. Lay cod onto baking sheet and spoon the mustard over the fish, season with salt and pepper, then place the pistachio crust mix over the top covering the fish, press down to secure. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until opaque.
  5. Serve with a slice of lemon.
  • Mustard Mix
  • Pistachio Crust
  • Fresh Scottish Cod Piece
Scottish Cod

Bannock Bread (Traditional Scottish Bread)

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  • Bannock Bread
  • Bannock Bread
Bannock Bread

In Scotland, before the 19th century, bannocks were cooked on a bannock stane (Scots for stone), a large, flat, rounded piece of sandstone, placed directly onto a fire, used as a cooking surface. Most modern bannocks are cooked in a pan or skillet and made with baking powder as a leavening agent, giving them a light and airy texture. Bannocks were known as flat cakes or bread baked from grains, although if you visit the town of Selkirk in the Scottish Borders their Bannocks are more like fruit loaves.

This is a very quick bread and great with any traditional soup recipe, especially a good Cullen Skink, which you can find my recipe here – https://cookingwithluce.wordpress.com/2020/11/09/cullen-skink/

Makes 1 small (6 piece) cake

120g of Scottish Oats – I blitz Scottish Porridge Oats into a fine flour.

80g Plain Flour

2 tsps Baking Powder

Pinch Salt

150ml Buttermilk

  1. In a bowl or mixer combine the flour, oats, salt and baking powder
  2. Slowly mix in the Buttermilk, little at a time until the flour has combined, lay on a floured surface and shape the dough to about 1″ thick and about the same circular diameter as your pan. Indent the dough about 0.5 – 1cm in, as if you were cutting a pizza shape.
  3. Heat a little oil in a pan or skillet on medium heat (you don’t want it too hot or it won’t cook through properly), place dough into pan and cook gently for about 15 minutes on 1 side then flip over and cook for a further 10-15 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
  4. Remove and place on a bread board, allow to cool for a few minutes then serve.
Step by step of Bannock Bread

I usually have this bread with Soup but you could also spread a little butter or Jam and would be just as nice.

Bannock Bread
Bannock Bread

Banana, Peanut Butter & Oat Choc Chip Muffins

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Today was a day of using up leftovers and I had bananas that were crying out to be used. This little recipe is so easy to make and delicious too, you can store for 2-3 days in an airtight container or freeze if you are making a large batch. Gluten Free too.

A great healthier option too with the oats having 4 grams of fiber & 6 grams of protein. In addition to fiber, oats are rich in magnesium, zinc and iron. The bananas which are loaded with fiber, potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and various antioxidants. The Peanut Butter is a good source of magnesium too.

A great grab & go breakfast option or simply a little snack in between meals.

 

Makes 12

200g Scottish Oats

60g Peanut Butter

2 small bananas, mashed

1 egg

3 tbsp Maple Syrup

120ml milk

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 Dark Chocolate squares, chopped (or you can used choc chips)

 

  1. Preheat your oven on fan to 175 deg and grease a muffin tin.
  2. Put ALL ingredients into a bowl or mixer bowl and combine together.                        20200209_113300
  3. Pour into muffin tin, filling approx 3/4 way.
  4. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a knife comes out clean and muffins are set.
  5. Remove and allow to cool for a few minutes. If freezing allow to cool completely.
  6. Best served slightly warm. Yum!

 

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Scottish Oats Crusted French Toast

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Oh yum, this might seem a bit odd but the toasted oats give this eggy bread a bit of a crunch that tastes so good. A Good protein breakfast too.

 

Makes 2 Slices

1 tbsp milk

2 large eggs

30g Scottish Oats

2 thick slices of bread (of your choice, but Brioche & Tiger Bread give extra flavour)

Maple Syrup to serve

Salt & pepper to taste

 

  1. Beat the eggs and milk together and decant into a large dish, season.
  2. Place the bread into the egg mix and allow bread to soak up the egg, turn over so both sides are soaked.
  3. Then place into the Scottish oats and coat.
  4. Heat some spray oil or butter in a large fry pan and heat on a medium to high heat.
  5. Place the bread into the pan and leave to cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side until slighty toasted.
  6. Finally, remove and drizzle Maple Syrup over….Devour! Yummy!

 

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Scottish Cranachan Panna Cotta

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Decided to try the famous Cranachan dessert but wanted to change it slightly, turned out amazingly good. My first time at trying a Panna Cotta too.

 

For Panna Cotta:-

10g toasted oats (lightly toast in dry pan)

50g caster sugar

150ml milk

80g mashed raspberries

2 tbsp honey

250ml double cream

20ml Whisky or whisky essence

3 gelatine leaves, soaked in water

 

1. Mix milk, raspberries and sugar bring to boil then add in oats, honey and whisky reduce heat slightly

2. Add in gelatine and stir through

3. Add in cream, mix through and set aside to cool for 5 mins.

4. Pour into greased ramekins and chill for at least 2 hours.

 

For the syrup:-

20ml water

5ml whisky

10g caster sugar

 

1. Put all ingredients into a pan and bring to boil, boil until syrup consistency  (about 2-3 mins)

 

For the honey cream:-

50ml double cream

5g honey

5g toasted oats

 

1. Put all ingredients into a bowl and whisk until a stiff consistency  (few mins)

 

To plate up: turn out the Panna Cotta onto a plate, drizzle the syrup over and scoop some of the honey cream to the side with a couple of raspberries.

Oh yum!

Oat Bran Pancakes

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I love pancakes and was looking for a healthier option, these are really tasty.

 

Measurements for 1 pancake:-   (per serving 203 calories, 9g fat = 4g sat, carbs 14g, protein 15g)

1.5tbsp oat bran

1.5tbsp cream cheese

1 egg

 

1. Mix oat bran, cream cheese and egg together in a bowl.

2. Preheat a non-stick omelette pan or similar and pour in mix, spread evenly, flip over when bubbles start to appear, approx 2-3 mins, then cook for another 2-3 mins on other side.

3. Serve with your favorite toppings:- some suggestions:-

> Breakfast – Banana and walnuts with 1/2 tbsp agave syrup

> Breakfast – Low fat Bacon

> Breakfast – Scrambled or poached eggs with spinach

> Pudding – stewed fruit, cream cheese

> Pudding – Ice cream and tbsp maple syrup

 

Yum..Yum..