Cookbook:Stovies

Stovies is a traditional Scottish dish originating mainly from the North Eastern counties of Angus and Aberdeenshire where even today the dish is still most commonly found and served. Recipes and ingredients vary widely between regions and even families, but the dish usually consists of potatoes and onions and some form of cold meat (especially sausages or leftover roast; mince or corned beef in the east). The potatoes are cooked by stewing with fat. A regional variation is to serve the stovies with oatcakes.

Ingredients

 * 1 kg (2 pounds) potatoes
 * 50 g (2 oz) beef drippings or butter
 * 3 medium onions, roughly chopped
 * 125–250 g (4–8 oz) cooked beef or lamb (leftovers from a roast dinner)
 * 2–3 tbsp finely chopped parsley, chives, or spring onions
 * Seasoning salt (optional)
 * Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
 * Allspice or grated nutmeg (optional)

Procedure

 * 1) Peel potatoes if they are "main crop", but leave the skins on new potatoes. Slice about 5 mm (¼-inch) thick. Or, slice roughly in different thickness so that the thin make a mush when cooked, while the others stay whole.
 * 2) Heat fat in a large heavy-base pot (one with a tight-fitting lid) and add the onions. Cook until lightly brown. Add the potatoes and stir well, coating all sides with the fat.
 * 3) Put the lid on and cook over a very low heat, shaking the pot once or twice to prevent sticking, until the potatoes are cooked.
 * 4) Add the meat, mix through, and turn up the heat to brown a little.
 * 5) Serve with brown sauce, parsley, and optional seasonings.

Notes, tips, and variations

 * The same recipe can be adapted to use steak, beef or pork sausages instead of leftover meat. If making stovies this way, brown the sausages with the onions at the start.
 * Recipes vary but mince is used most commonly, not only in the East but all over Scotland