Friday, May 12, 2023

Tatties and Neeps - A Dish for My Scottish Friends

Most of you will agree, “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men gang aft agley.” 


Say What?

If you know, then you know. Otherwise my opinion is that Scottish poet Robert Burns wrote that even the best of us often fail.

Burns Night, which is annually celebrated on January 25th in Scotland and other places, honors this famed Scottish poet. Hopefully there are some here who appreciate Robert Burns. Most often the celebration of Burn’s life and work involves a dinner with the principal ingredients being the meat course of Haggis, the beverage, Scottish Whiskey and the vegetable dish Tatties and Neeps.

You may not have had an opportunity to enjoy Tatties and Neeps (probably not Haggis either). Haggis is easily beyond my level of culinary skill but hopefully you will see that Tatties and Neeps could be a tasty part of your vegetable rotation during the months when Rutabaga is available at your grocer. Hopefully this recipe will reach you before your grocer runs out until fall and winter root vegetables reappear in the produce section where you shop.


Tatties and Neeps

Ingredients:

1 medium to large rutabaga
7-8 small to medium New (red) potatoes
salted water for cooking both components
3-4 slices Bacon (thick sliced is best)
Unsalted butter
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Directions:

Clean and peel the rutabaga. Rutabaga is a dense rooted vegetable and a sharp knife is required both to peel and to cut it.

 


The rutabaga should be cut into 1 - 1.5-inch pieces.

 


The rutabaga is then boiled in salted water, with 2 Tablespoons of butter, until fork tender

  



I like the fiber content and taste of new (red) potatoes, so when possible, I leave the peelings intact when I cut the potatoes into 1 1/2 – 2 inch pieces for this dish. The potatoes are boiled in salted water until fork tender,.



 

While the root vegetables are cooking, 3 slices of thick sliced bacon are cut into pieces and fried until crisp then set aside.

 


  


 


After the red potatoes have drained and dried a bit, they are cooked further in the bacon grease until firm and slightly crisped.

 


The dish is assembled by mixing the rutabaga and potatoes. This mixture is seasoned to taste with salt and black pepper then plated. The plated dish is topped with the cooked bacon pieces.

 


I don’t know how often Robert Burns dined on Tatties and Neeps, but I bet he believed the dish (seldom cooked in this country) contained some of the best that root vegetables have to offer.






If you like rutabaga, you will probably enjoy this tasty Scottish root vegetable dish.

Thanks for looking at my post.

God Bless You. 


Tatties and Neeps

 Ingredients:

1 medium to large rutabaga
7-8 small to medium New (red) potatoes
salted water for cooking both components
3-4 slices Bacon (thick sliced is best)
Unsalted butter
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste 

Directions:

 Clean and peel the rutabaga. Rutabaga is a dense rooted vegetable and a sharp knife is required both to peel and to cut it.

The rutabaga should be cut into 1 – 1 1/2 inch pieces 

The rutabaga is then boiled in salted water, with 2 Tablespoons of butter, until fork tender

I like the fiber content and taste of new (red) potatoes, so when possible, I leave the peelings intact when I cut the potatoes into 1 1/2 – 2 inch pieces for this dish. The potatoes are boiled until fork tender in salted water.

While the root vegetables are cooking, 3 slices of thick sliced bacon are cut into pieces and fried until crisp then set aside.

After the red potatoes have drained and dried a bit, they are cooked further in the bacon grease until firm and slightly crisped.

The dish is assembled by mixing the rutabaga and potatoes. This mixture is seasoned to taste with salt and black pepper then plated. The plated dish is topped with the cooked bacon pieces.


9 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Nips" or "neeps" are Scottish slang for turnips.

(I apologize for this comment also under the wrong article.)

Anonymous said...

Would definitely like to try this.

Anonymous said...

dang. I read that as titties and naps. What a disappointment when i clicked.

Burke said...

Calvin Trillin once wrote an article about the worst meal he'd ever eaten: Haggis in a restaurant in Naples, Italy. The neeps and tatties look so much better. I'm off to Brenda's Produce to find out if she'll have rutabaga this year. Would it be permissible to "peel" it on a bench grinder?

Robert W Neill Jr, Land Broker said...

I don't like rutabagas but that looks good.

Stuff About ZeroBear PolyBear said...

1:13 pm

You sound like you have peeled rutabaga before. I have found a sharp potato peeler to work pretty good. We actually eat a lot of rutabaga at our house. Purple Hull peas, boiled rutabaga and cornbread is a nice meal. Throw in some fried okra and you are in veggie heaven.

Anonymous said...

I had to look it up: Said when something ends poorly or differently than expected, despite preparations for success. It comes from Robert Burns' poem "To a Mouse," which itself is a play on the proverb "the best-laid plans of mice and men oft go astray." ("Gang aft a-gley" means "go oft astray" in Scottish vernacular.)
The dish looks delicious by the way!

Anonymous said...

Yeah, but who the hell wants to be in vegan (veggie) heaven.

Stuff About ZeroBear PolyBear said...

11:45 am

Veggie heaven topped with bacon isn't as bad as you want to make it to be.


Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.