Taste the Fifteenth Century

 

It is no mystery what young Andrew enjoyed sinking his teeth into back in 1400 — one of Selkirk’s famous Bannocks! The Fulke’s, his foster-folk would have broken their fasts with Scottish Oatmeal with Butter. Delicious and warming!

Selkirk Bannock

Prep: 25 mins Cook: 45 mins Serves: 8

Serve this Scottish classic with plenty of butter. If you have any leftovers, toast for breakfast or use in a bread & butter pudding. BBC GoodFood has the full recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ tsp or 1 sachet fast-action yeast
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 4 cups strong white flour
• 10 tbsp unsalted butter or half butter, half lard, melted and cooled
• 3 cups raisins
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• Milk for glazing

Directions

Step 1:

1. 1. In a large bowl, mix the yeast and caster sugar with 1 cup warm water (115-120° F). Let it stand for 10 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy.

 

1. Tip in the flour and melted cooled butter and mix to form a smooth, soft dough. Add additional as needed until dough is not sticky. Knead for 5 minutes, then put the mixture back in the bowl. Cover with oiled cling film and allow the mix to rise, in a warm place, until doubled in size.

Step 2:

1. Knock back the dough by kneading it lightly for 1 minute, then add the sultanas and brown sugar, kneading them in well.
2. Grease a deep 23cm round cake tin with the rest of the butter. Shape the dough into a round and place in the tin. Allow the dough to rise for 30 minutes or until it has doubled in size.

Step 3:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.  Brush the Bannock with a little milk to glaze, then bake for 45-50 minutes until risen and browned.
2. The bread should sound hollow when removed from the tin and the base is tapped. If the bread colors too quickly, but is not quite cooked, cover it with foil and check after 5 minutes more.
3. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and finish cooling on a wire rack.

Scottish Oatmeal with Butter

Cook: 25 mins Total: 25 mins Serves: 2 to 4

Why It Works

• Optionally toasting the oats deepens their flavor.
• An optional overnight soak speeds up cooking the next day.
• Gentle, frequent stirring releases just enough starch to thicken the oatmeal without making it stodgy.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (180g) steel-cut oats (also sold as pinhead or Irish oats, such as Bob’s Red Mill)
• 3 cups (700ml) cold water, plus more if needed.
• Kosher or sea salt
• Unsalted butter or cream, for serving
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)

Directions

1. Optional: Toast the oats in the cooking pot over high heat, stirring and tossing constantly, until lightly roasted and fragrant. Remove from heat.
2. Combine toasted or untoasted oats and water in a medium saucepan or 3-quart saucier. Cover and let stand overnight, if desired. In the morning, pour off half the water. If not soaking overnight, proceed immediately with cooking.
3. Bring oats and water to a simmer over medium-high heat, seasoning lightly with a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook uncovered, stirring frequently but slowly, until porridge is well thickened but still flows slightly. About 5 minutes for overnight oats and 20 minutes for un-soaked oats.
4. If oats are still too firm, stir in additional boiling water 1/4 cup (60ml) at a time and continue cooking until desired texture is reached.
5. Scoop porridge into warmed bowls and top with a pat of butter and/or a splash of cream. Sprinkle flaky salt on top, if desired. Serve.

Notes

Most steel-cut oats work best with the overnight method described here. Some artisan brands have a more powdery texture and do better if you pour off the soaking water, rinse the grains lightly, then add fresh water to cook. If your overnight oatmeal is overly thick and starchy, try the soaking-and-rinsing method instead.

Enjoy making and savoring this traditional Scottish breakfast!