Forfar Bridies

These are said to have been made by a traveling food seller, Maggie Bridie of Glamis (when the county of Angus was originally called Forfarshire). They were also mentioned by J M Barrie (author of Peter Pan) who was born in Kirriemuir .. The original recipe apparently used suet or tallow, but lets face it, that is not always to everyone's taste, I recommend butter or margarine.

Ingredients (for six bridies):
1½ lbs (700g) boneless, lean rump steak. Lean minced beef can also be used.
2 oz (2 rounded tablespoons) suet or butter or margarine
1 (or 2) onion, chopped finely
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
Quarter cup rich beef stock
Salt and pepper to taste
1½ lbs flaky pastry (home made or from a pastry mix packet)

Method:
Remove any fat or gristle from the meat and beat with a meat bat or rolling pin. Cut into half-inch (1cm) pieces and place in a medium bowl. Add the salt/pepper, mustard, chopped onion, suet (or butter/margarine) and stock and mix well.
Prepare the pastry and divide the pastry and meat mixture into six equal portions. Roll each pastry portion into a circle about six inches in diameter and about quarter of an inch thick and place a portion of the mixture in the centre. Leave an edge of pastry showing all round. Brush the outer edge of half the pastry circle with water and fold over. Crimp the edges together well. The crimped edges should be at the top of each bridie. Make a small slit in the top (to let out any steam). Brush a 12 inch square (or equivalent area) baking tray with oil and place the bridies in this, ensuring that they are not touching. Place in a pre-heated oven at 450F/230C/gas mark 8 for 15 minutes then reduce the temperature to 350F/180C/gas mark 4 and cook for another 45/55 minutes. They should be golden brown and if they are getting too dark, cover with greaseproof paper (vegetable parchment).

Scottish Shortbread

There are a ton of shortbread recipes ( give or take a couple of pounds), but I prefer this very simple version as it is probably closer to tradition. I don’t imagine they had access to cornstarch or rice flour in the highlands 200 years ago.

3/4 cup flour, sifted
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup room temperature Land 'O Lakes unsalted butter

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Work in the butter with a fork or pastry cutter until the dough has the consistency of short crust.

Pulsing in a food processor will work also.

Sprinkle a board or your counter top lightly with flour. Turn the dough onto the board and knead until it's smooth. Refrigerate the dough for a couple of hours to let it rest.

You should have approximately 8 ounces of dough. Divide the dough into four equal portions for large cookies or eight equal portions for small cookies and shape into rounds.

For consistency you might want to pull out your kitchen scales.

Place each round on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and flatten them with the bottom of a glass to about 1/4 inch thickness. Prick with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 to 30 minutes, until the cookies begin to brown slightly. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet.

This recipe also works well in a stoneware shortbread mold…Just make sure you grease the mold appropriately and let it cool completely before pulling it from the mold.