Outlander Kitchen

My Favourit

Yep - here is my outing - I´m a big fan of Outlander - over years now since Diana Gabaldon published the first book with the story around Claire and Jamie. I´m watching the series, too and now got into the cooking book. I love it. Therese Carle-Sanders was so nice and agreed that I can post 3 of her recipes and believe me the choice was really hart. But the cooking book not only offers a white range of recipes it has nice story around as well.  You can find more of her recipes on Theresa´s website or you just buy the book - you won´t regret it.

 



MURTAGH’S GIFT TO ELLEN (Outlander)

I caught a strange nonmetallic gleam in the depths of the box, and pointed. “What’s that?”

“Oh, those,” she said, dipping into the box again. “I’ve never worn them; they don’t suit me. But you could wear them — you’re tall and queenly, like my mother was. They were hers, ye ken.” They were a pair of bracelets. Each made from the curving, almost-circular tusk of a wild boar, polished to a deep ivory glow, the ends capped with silver tappets, etched with flowered tracery. “Lord, they’re gorgeous!” I’ve never seen anything so…so wonderfully barbaric.”

Jenny was amused. “Aye, that they are. Someone gave them to Mother as a wedding gift, but she never would say who. My father used to tease her now and then about her admirer, but she wouldna tell him, either, just smiled like a cat that’s had cream to its supper. Here, try them.”

The ivory was cool and heavy on my arm. I couldn’t resist stroking the deep yellow surface, grained with age.

“Aye, they suit ye,” Jenny declared. “And they go wi’ that yellow gown, as well. Here are the earbobs — put these on, and we’ll go down.”

Diana Gabaldon,  Outlander (Chapter 31)

Yield: 12 Boar Tusk Bracelets

 

Egg – 1

Prosciutto or Bacon – 12 slices

Puff Pastry, thawed but still cold – 1 pkg (or make your own with the recipe below)

Asparagus – 24 tips (about 2” long)

Parmesan Cheese, shredded – ¼ Cup

 

Preheat the oven to 425° F.

 

Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water to make an egg wash. Line two baking sheets with parchment or a silpat (silicone liner). Cut the prosciutto or bacon slices in half lengthwise, so that you have 24 narrow strips.

On a lightly floured counter, roll out the puff pastry to a rectangle measuring about 8” x 12” and ⅛” thick. Use a sharp knife to cut the pastry into (12) 1” wide strips. The cleaner the cuts, the more evenly the pastry will puff.

Brush 2 or 3 strips with the egg wash on BOTH sides. Cover the remaining strips with plastic wrap to prevent drying.

Holding an asparagus tip on to one end of a pastry strip, wrap the prosciutto/bacon around both, securing the asparagus to the pastry. Repeat on the other end with another asparagus tip and bacon strip.

Handling it gently, twist the pastry ends into spirals, then lay it on the prepared baking sheet in a horseshoe shape, with the asparagus tips pointing towards the middle. Cover with plastic wrap and repeat for the 12 other tusks.

Dab the tusks with a little extra egg wash, sprinkle with grated parmesan and bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Rotate and turn the pan at 8 minutes, reshaping the tusks if necessary. Work quickly to get the oven door closed ASAP.

Cool on a rack and serve soon after baking. Recrisp in the oven if necessary.

 

Ith gu leòir! (Eat Plenty)

 

Tips:

The warmer puff pastry gets, the trickier it becomes to handle. If things are getting slippery, cover everything with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.

The tusks can be prepared in the morning, wrapped well, and stay in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake them that evening.



Fiona´s Cinnamon Scones (Voyager)

“A pound of best butter — that’s what you told me to ask for, and I did, but I kept wondering whether there was such a thing as second-best butter, or worst butter –” Brianna was handing over wrapped packages to Fiona, laughing and talking at once.

“Well, and if ye got it from that auld rascal Wicklow, worst is what it’s likely to be, no matter what he says,” Fiona interrupted. “Oh, and ye’ve got the cinnamon, that’s grand! I’ll make cinnamon scones, then; d’ye want to come and watch me do it?”

“Yes, but first I want supper. I’m starved!” Brianna stood on tiptoe, sniffing hopefully in the direction of the kitchen. “What are we having — haggis?”

“Haggis! Gracious, ye silly Sassenach — ye dinna have haggis in the spring! Ye have it in the autumn when the sheep are killed.”

“Am I a Sassenach?” Brianna seemed delighted at the name.

“Of course ye are, gowk. But I like ye fine, anyway.”

Diana Gabaldon, Voyager, Chap 3

 

Yield: 8 scones

 

Light, buttery scones rolled with cinnamon sugar. Perfect for a sweet start to the day when paired with a cup of coffee, or a delicious afternoon snack alongside a soothing cup of tea.

 

Brown Sugar – ½ to ¾ Cup

Cinnamon – 1½ tsp

Flour – 2½ Cups

Sugar – scant ½ Cup

Salt – ¼ tsp

Baking Powder – 1½ tsp

Baking Soda – ¼ tsp

Butter, frozen – ½ Cup (divided)

Milk – ½ Cup

Yogurt – ½ Cup

 

Icing Sugar – 1 cup

Milk – 2 Tble

 

Ensure the rack is in the middle position and preheat the oven to 425° F.

Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.

Mix the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Cut away approx. 1 tablespoon of the frozen butter and set aside. Grate the remaining butter and stir it into the flour mixture.

Stir the milk and yogurt together in a small bowl. Add to the dry ingredients and stir until combined into a slightly sticky ball.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter and sprinkle with a little more flour. Quickly and lightly, knead the dough 5 or 6 times. Return the dough to the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes. Roll it out to a 12”x12” square, sprinkling lightly with flour as required to keep it from sticking.

Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the dough in a thick layer, pressing down on the sugar lightly with your palms. Roll the dough up into a log, using a bench scraper or spatula to un-stick the dough when necessary. Pat it out to about 4” wide x 12” long.

Flour a knife or bench scraper to cut the log into even quarters. Cut each quarter in half on the diagonal, for a total of 8 scones.

Carefully transfer to a parchment or silicon lined baking pan. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and brush over the tops of the scones. Bake until the tops and bottoms are golden, about 18-22 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes.

Stir together the icing sugar and milk in a small bowl.

Drizzle the glaze over the scones and serve while still slightly warm. Store in a sealed container for up to 2 days. Reheat slightly before serving.

 

Ith gu leòir! (Eat Plenty)

 

Additions:

I kept these basic, but you can dress them up if you want:

Stir 1/4 tsp ground cardamom into the brown sugar and cinnamon.

Sprinkle 1 cup pecans or walnuts on top of the cinnamon sugar.

For a real Highland treat, soak 1 cup raisins in 1/2 cup whisky for 20 minutes before sprinkling them as above.

Not a cinnamon lover? How about 1 cup of blueberries, 1/4 cup sugar and the zest of a lemon instead?

 

Tips:

If you’re planning ahead, mix together the dry ingredients and grated butter, and chill them in a sealed container in the freezer overnight. Stash the bowl in the freezer overnight too. The colder everything is, the easier the dough is to work with.

For fresh scones in the morning without all the work, make a batch ahead of time, then freeze the scones on the baking pan. Transfer the frozen-solid scones to a freezer bag or sealed container and return to the freezer. To serve, bake the scones on a parchment-lined baking pan at 375° F for 25-30 minutes, then glaze as above.



Millionaire´s Shortbread

Yield: 9” pan (16 squares)

 

All-Purpose Flour – 1¾ Cup

Sugar – ⅓ Cup

Salt – ½ tsp

Butter, softenened, in cubes – ¾ Cup

 

Butter – ¼ Cup

Brown Sugar – ½ Cup, firmly packed

Sweetened Condensed Milk – 1 can

 

Milk or Dark Chocolate – 7 oz (2 large bars)

Butter – 2 tsp

 

Move the rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350° F.

Dot the sides and bottom of a 9” square baking pan with butter, then line with parchment or aluminum foil, sticking the paper to the butter and ensuring the edges are higher than the pan.

Make the Shortbread: Stir together the flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Add the ¾ cup butter and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingertips until everything resembles cornmeal or fine breadcrumbs. Knead the mixture together in the bowl to form a dough. Press the dough into the bottom of the pan and prick lightly with a fork. Bake until firm and lightly brown, about 20 minutes. Cool in the pan. (See notes.)

Make the Caramel: Heat the ¼ cup butter, brown sugar and sweetened condensed milk in a pan over medium to a gentle boil, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook until slightly thickened, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Pour over the shortbread in an even layer and allow to cool completely.

Make the Chocolate: Melt the chocolate and 2 tsp butter in a double boiler over hot water until smooth. Pour over the cooled caramel in an even layer. Cool completely.

Remove from the pan and use a sharp knife to cut into squares. Store, wrapped, in the fridge for up to 3 days.

 

Ith do leòr! (Eat Plenty)