eG Foodblog: Adam Balic - An Australian in Scotland

[MGLloyd]

Can we beseech you, dear Adam, to part with your recipe for the baked lemon pudding? I make a very similar dish in chocolate.

And to keep this on point, I spent a week in Edinburgh in July 2000, attending my graduation from Heriot-Watt University. Lovely haggis and beer, and never have I seen such thick cigarette smoke in a pub in my life.

[Adam Balic]

Lemon Delicious Pudding

3 medium lemons, zested and juiced

100 gm butter, softened

125 gms castor sugar

4 eggs, separated

4.5 tbsp flour

500mls whole milk

1. Pre-heat oven too 180C

2. In a bowl, mix sugar, butter and egg yolks

3. Add lemon zest and lemon juice.

4. Heat milk to blood warm, mean while whip egg whites to soft peaks

5. Add milk to batter and mix well, fold in egg whites.

6. Add to well buttered baking dish, put this in a baking tray and pour in hot water to 3/4 of the baking dishes hight.

7. Bake for ~ 40 minutes or until the tip is golden brown.

Thankfully, as of March(?) next year there will be no more smoking in Pubs in Scotland.

[Behemoth]

Lemon Delicious Pudding

My grandmother used to make this, and I still do. There is a recipe in Joy of Cooking, actually. One of my very favorite desserts. If you're careful you can unmold the thing so that the cake is on the bottom and the custard on top.

[jackal10]

SUITABLE FOR VEGETARIANS

Macsween Vegetarian Haggis (V) £2.50 £3.50

Its no bad, but its nae haggis

[Adam Balic]

Lemon Delicious Pudding

My grandmother used to make this, and I still do. There is a recipe in Joy of Cooking, actually. One of my very favorite desserts. If you're careful you can unmold the thing so that the cake is on the bottom and the custard on top.

←

I thought there may be an American connection, as it doesn't seem to exist in the UK. I wonder what it's ultimate history is.

[chefzadi]

What is this "Summer" that you speak of?

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Summer in Scotland? I remember an hour.

Really nice blog Adam. You do some amazing home cooking.

[Eden]

I must be the only one here envying Adam his summer, but then I moved to Seattle for the rain & am whining because they threaten it will reach 80F later today Clearly once that non-smoking law goes into effect I'll have to come to Scotland for a summer holiday.

Adam will you be doing any fun historical recipes this week? I may have to make some of that Glasgow punch, it sounds lovely!

[Corinna Dunne]

Lemon Delicious Pudding

My grandmother used to make this, and I still do. There is a recipe in Joy of Cooking, actually. One of my very favorite desserts. If you're careful you can unmold the thing so that the cake is on the bottom and the custard on top.

←

I thought there may be an American connection, as it doesn't seem to exist in the UK. I wonder what it's ultimate history is.

←

Delia Smith, the doyenne of British home cooking, has a similar recipe in her 'Complete Illustrated Cookery Course', which interestingly was voted one of the top cookbooks (I think No 2), by a number of experts recently, primarily because she is a very safe pair of hands and excellent as a reference for the basics. (The same panel of experts did also say that Larousse is a big load of rubbish, which I don't agree with).

But Adam, your recipe looks better. She only uses 2 eggs and 2 lemons. She calls her version 'Lemon Surprise Pudding', but doesn't give any background on its origin.

[Milagai]

SUITABLE FOR VEGETARIANS

Macsween Vegetarian Haggis (V) £2.50 £3.50

Its no bad, but its nae haggis

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i've heard tell of vegetarian haggis pakoras

(presumably the indian restaurant version of the above).

can adam or any others from edinburgh elaborate?

milagai

[mizducky]

SUITABLE FOR VEGETARIANS

Macsween Vegetarian Haggis (V) £2.50 £3.50

Its no bad, but its nae haggis

←

i've heard tell of vegetarian haggis pakoras

(presumably the indian restaurant version of the above).

can adam or any others from edinburgh elaborate?

milagai

←

"Vegetarian," "haggis," and "pakoras." Three words I never expected to see together in the name of one food item. Color me boggled.

[Adam Balic]

Behold! The legends are true. Tremble mortal, for thou art in the presence of the Deep Fried Haggis Supper!

IMO the natural bride of the Haggis (in deep fried form only) is Sweet Chilli sauce.

The wife's meal. Haddock, in the form of a fish supper.

We also had salad. Not traditional. But will stop us from getting scurvy.

Dessert was the other great Scottish product. Raspberries.

[Adam Balic]

"Vegetarian," "haggis," and "pakoras." Three words I never expected to see together in the name of one food item. Color me boggled.  

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Haggis, in the True form and fakey versions, is a common ingredient in Scotland. It is a very mild, mostly grain based, sausage. Think of it as 'Northern Kibbe' and it will not seem as difficult.

[Behemoth]

Haggis, in the True form and fakey versions, is a common ingredient in Scotland. It is a very mild, mostly grain based, sausage. Think of it as 'Northern Kibbe' and it will not seem as difficult.

←

I'll have to try fried kibbe with sweet chili sauce next time I visit my parents. If only to see the look of disgusted resignation on my dad's face. No, that's too long to wait. Maybe I'll phone my brother and have him go over there and report back.

[Carrot Top]

The wife's meal.

Phew. When the thread uploaded onto the screen, this is what I saw.

And what I read (being a bit scatterbrained) on the bottle was "Male Ploy".

Followed by "The wife's meal".

Seemed reasonable (though a bit funny!) to me.

[Priscilla]

i'm fascinated by your home cooking. When I saw "Scotland" and "Australia" in your introductory post I didn't expect such a comfort level with spices such as fresh tumeric, gangal, sumac, etc.  I certainly don't keep these items handy and would need to follow a recipe to be able to use them.  How would you describe your style of cooking? Is this typical of contemporary Australian cooking?  Any advice for a good but hopelessly Western cook for learning how to integrate ingredients like this into one's repetoire?

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I guess my cooking coud be called undisciplined contemporary Australian cooking. Although, not in Australia as it sounds a bit poncy. I come from Melbourne, which is incredibly multi-ethnic. This is an easy term to use, often people talk about in relation to London for instance, but on a per capita basis, Melbourne has much more diversity. Anyway, I am comfortable with lots of different types food and I like to cook. So although I have ~ 300 cookbooks, only two of these are chefs books, the vast majority being along the lines of "The cooking of SW-France", "Imperial Mongolian Cuisine", "Sicilian cooking" etc etc.

So the best advise I have is cook, read, vist markets, talk to people about their food and cook some more. A very good place to start bookwise is with Grub street publishing (scroll down to 3. World Cookery Series) for instance.

* edit: Just to be clear, I have nothing against Chef cookbooks, just explaining my experiences. Infact, I would like more of these books as they are strong on technique, which is what I and many of my cookbooks lack.

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Adam, aside from your constant and thoroughgoing research, it is exactly this continual, enthusiatic evolution that makes you such a fine cook -- makes me think of Madeleine Kamman's preferred term "personal cuisine," rather than a label like "nouvelle" or "fusion" or whatever. It's vital for any cook to be able to openmindedly examine everything that crosses his cooking purview, judging its applicability independently. Even when attempting an accurate historical rendition of a dish this attitude makes all the diff, keeping things exciting rather than stodgy. You know what I mean?

[Adam Balic]

Priscilla - thanks for the lovely comments. I'm glad you think that the historical stuff is interesting. I was thinking of doing this 18th C. Scottish recipe, what do you think?

[Priscilla]

Let the blood go through, as opposed to out?

If through means through, the idea being that the blood not going out but staying in gamifies the taste of the non-wild duck?

I like that little cook's aside at the end, "...and you will not know the difference."

[Adam Balic]

Yes, it means exactly that. Not a very representative recipe. The very next is for cooking geese in the French manner. Bascially, it is a very detail method for raising geese and preparing confit. This book is by a Susanna Mciver, who had a cooking school for young ladies in Edinburgh.

I was reminded of her book by the haggis. Her recipe is though by some to be the archetype by which modern Scottish haggis are based. Before this period (and Burns') Haggis was found in various forms throughout the UK. I have seen a sweet christmas version from Cumberland and also a fish day version made from porpoise!

The UK has the best record of foods that are lost to it of any country I have seen. Obviously, haggis isn't a good example, but some of these recipes are worth revisiting. Especially, given the increasing trend towards 'deceptive' food, rather then producing dishes that taste of themselves. Apple caviar* would have perfect act a Medieval/Early Modern meal.

* The only El Bulli recipe I have made. Loads of fun and very easy. But as I was using industrial ingredients I was afraid of poisoning my guests, so I didn't serve it in the end.

Edited August 9, 2005 by Adam Balic (log)

[PS]

Adam, two questions:

Where did you get those raspberries? They look superb.

Any chance you could stick a photo of the Cumberland haggis recipe in your blog? That's where I'm from and I'd love to see it (can't promise being able to make it, mind).

[Adam Balic]

This is from "The Country Housewife and Lady's Director" (1727) byRichard Bradley, which is a companion volume to "The Country Gentleman and Farmer's Monthly Director" (1726).

To make a Hackin. From a Gentleman in Cumberland.

Sir,

There are some Counties in England, whose Customs are never to be set aside; and our Friends in Cumberland, as well as some of our Neighbours in Lancashire, and else-where, keep them up. It is a Custom with us every Christmas-Day in the Morning, to have, what we call an Hackin, for the Breakfast of the young Men who work about our House; and if this Dish is not dressed by that time it is Day-light, the Maid is led through the Town, between two Men, as fast as they can run with her, up Hill and down Hill, which she accounts a great shame. But as for the Receipt to make this Hackin, which is admired so much by us, it is as follows.

Take the Bag or Paunch of a Calf, and wash it, and clean it well with Water and Salt; then take some Beef-Suet, and shred it small, and shred some Apples, after they are pared and cored, very small. Then put in some Sugar, and some Spice beaten small, a little Lemon-Peel cut very fine, and a little Salt, and a good quantity of Grots, or whole Oat-meal, steep'd a Night in Milk; then mix these all together, and add as many Currans pick'd clean from the Stalks, and rubb'd in a coarse Cloth; but let them not be wash'd. And when you have all ready, mix them together, and put them into the Calf's-Bag, and tye them up, and boil them till they are enough. You may, if you will, mix up with the whole, some Eggs beaten, which will help to bind it. This is our Custom to have ready, at the opening of the Doors, on Christmas-Day in the Morning. It is esteem'd here; but all that I can say to you of it, is, that it eats somewhat like a Christmas-Pye, or is somewhat like that boil'd. I had forgot to say, that with the rest of the Ingredients, there should be some Lean of tender Beef minced small.

If you scroll down you will seen a hackin and some other historical Cumberland recipes recreated.

Raspberries are from "Tattie Shaw's", with is one of the better greengrocers in Edinburgh, located on Leith walk about half a block North of V&C. They were exellent.

[Adam Balic]

Bit rushed, have had one cup of coffee and to chocolate biscuits that seem to have randomly appeared.

[PS]

Mm-mmmm! That hackin sounds interesting. Thanks Adam.

[chefzadi]

Haggis, in the True form and fakey versions, is a common ingredient in Scotland. It is a very mild, mostly grain based, sausage. Think of it as 'Northern Kibbe' and it will not seem as difficult.

←

I'll have to try fried kibbe with sweet chili sauce next time I visit my parents. If only to see the look of disgusted resignation on my dad's face. No, that's too long to wait. Maybe I'll phone my brother and have him go over there and report back.

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Chili sauce (especially sriracha) is just plain good on alot of fried things.

I did try haggis in Scotland. Now that I think about it, lots of chili sauce would have been welcomed.

[Adam Balic]

If you refine it a bit and make chilli jelly etc, it is veru good with boiled meats like this too.

[Jinmyo]

Putting sweet chile sauce on haggis is a bit of a stroke of genius, Adam. Hopefully it left no rictus or other ill effects. You can walk just fine and all?

So, I saw a pie upstream. Better than it looked?

Will any pie coming up from downstream in the thread?

And Happy Anniversary of being in the UK.