Happy St Andrew’s Day!

St Andrew’s Day is a time to celebrate all things Scottish, so we have caught up with some of our amazing Scottish staff - Maureen, Chair of our Board of Governors, and Lorna, Helpline Dietitian.

Read on and don’t miss some great Scottish recipes! Latha fèill Anndrais sona dhuibh! 

 

What will you be doing this St Andrews day?

Maureen: I’ll not be doing anything special this year, as I see my 85-year-old parents every day and I try to self-isolate as much as possible. I’ll take my terrier (Buffy) out for a walk in Glen Finglas; it’s a beautiful area which lies at the heart of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park – and it’s just up the road from me.
Lorna: This St Andrew’s Day I will be providing support to people on the Coeliac UK Helpline. There may be a question or two related to St Andrew’s Day celebrations. I will then come home to two hungry children, so I might try and introduce them to some Scottish delicacies such as haggis, neeps and tatties.

 

Best thing about being Scottish?

Maureen: The fact that you don’t need to be born here to be Scottish; you just need to live here and consider yourself Scottish. I wasn’t born in Scotland, but I have lived here since I was 12 and am a very proud Scot.
Lorna: I have kept my Scottish accent despite living in England for several years, so it is nice that people know where I am from even though I no longer live there.

 

If you’re in Scotland, you must visit…

Maureen: The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow. It is huge and has lots for children as well as adults. I spent a lot of time there with my sons when they were children; the stuffed animals and dinosaur skeletons were their favourites. I liked the Charles Rennie MacIntosh collection. And it’s free to enter.

There are no “keep out” signs in the Scottish countryside. That’s because we have the legal “right to roam” – to walk freely over practically all land, as long as we act responsibly and don’t (for example) go into someone’s garden, or trample crops, or disturb a farmer’s animals.
Lorna: I grew up near Edinburgh. There is the obvious Edinburgh castle and Royal Mile. I loved going for walks when I lived in Scotland - up the Pentlands or on a holiday to the Cairngorms.

 

For eating out in Glasgow, you could visit Frankie & Benny’s or Chiquito – both are GF accredited by Coeliac UK – or Fit Food Bistro (visitor recommended). Our Venue Guide will help you find other accredited or recommended venues in Scotland. Please remember to always highlight your dietary requirements when booking.

 

What traditional Scottish foods can I eat when I’m gluten free?

Lorna: Some of the key gluten containing ingredients to watch out for with traditionally Scottish dishes are oats and pearl barley. If making a soup like Scottish broth, buckwheat flakes, rice or quinoa could be used instead of pearl barley. Many dishes use oats or oat meal, so it’s important to choose gluten free oats (if you eat them) or you could switch oats for buckwheat, quinoa or millet depending on the recipe. For a favourite gluten free Scottish dish, I would go traditional. I love chicken stuffed with haggis, served with mashed carrot and swede and mashed potato. You just have to check the haggis is gluten free.

 

Chicken stuffed with haggis and wrapped in bacon

Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 200g haggis*
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 rashers of bacon (optional)
  • Chicken or vegetable stock cube*, (made up to 300ml with boiling water) 
  • 2-3 tablespoons whisky (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon of gluten free cornflour (whisked together with 1 tablespoon water)
  • 500g potatoes (peeled and chopped)
  • 50g butter
  • 120g carrots (2 medium carrots) peeled and chopped
  • 200g swede, peeled and chopped
  • 15g butter

* Check our Food and Drink Information for suitable products.

Method

(If you are vegetarian, skip the chicken, haggis and bacon and serve vegetarian haggis instead)

  1. Preheat oven to 180C, 360F, gas mark 4
  2. Using a knife, make a slit along the length of the chicken breasts. Stuff the haggis into the hole. Brush all the chicken breasts with oil. Wrap with bacon. Place on a baking tray and bake for 30-40 minutes.
  3. To make the whisky gravy, place the cornflour in a pot and whisk in the 1 tablespoon of water until it is mixed well. Add the stock with boiling water and the whisky. Bring to the boil. Keep stirring as it thickens. Reduce the heat and simmer for 4 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes for 15-20 minutes until soft. Drain the water. Add butter and mash. You can add a few tablespoons of cream for a creamier mash.
  5. Cook the carrots and swede. Drain and mash together. Add 15g butter.
  6. Serve the chicken and gravy with carrot and swede mash and mashed potato.

 

For dessert, you could give Lorna’s Scottish tablet recipe a go – a really lovely, sweet treat!

If St Andrew’s Day celebrations have made you feel in the festive mood, why not check out our Christmas page. It has everything you need to Make someone’s Christmas – from gifts to recipes. Don’t forget to follow us on social media so you don’t miss a thing.

Share this blog to your Scottish friends and say Happy St Andrew’s Day!

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