Traditional Scottish Recipes
- Skirlie

Skirlie can be made as an accompaniment to stews or can be used as stuffing for poultry and turkey.

Ingredients (to serve four):
Beef dripping (50 grammes / 2 ounces / quarter US cup)
One chopped onion
Medium oatmeal - but not rolled oats! (100 grammes / 4 ounces / 1 US cup )
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:
Melt the dripping in a heavy frying pan and fry the onion for about three minutes (or until softened). Add the oatmeal to the onion and continue to fry for about ten minutes, stirring from time to time until the oatmeal is crisp and light brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

If it is to be used as stuffing but without first frying the onions or oatmeal in the fat (use 1 1/4 cup shredded suet and 1 3/4 cups medium oatmeal for stuffing). Add some stock or water to just slightly moisten the stuffing mix. Stuff lightly into the bird's cavity. Suet gives the stuffing a very distinct, traditional taste and brings out the nutty flavour of the oatmeal. Note that it is not advisable to do this with very large birds to avoid food poisoning.

Return to the Index of Traditional Scottish Recipes

Where else would you like to go in Scotland?





Separator line