Elizabeth is a resident and keen cook/baker at Balhousie Stormont in Blairgowrie. She still keeps her favourite recipes in a book she collated. Here, she shares a few:
Plum Jam
Ingredients
6lb plums
6.5 lb sugar
½ pint water
Method
1.Wash and stone plums and put stones into a muslin bag.
- Put plums, water and muslin bag into a preserving pan.
- Bring to the boil and then simmer for 15 mins.
- Add sugar and stir until dissolved.
- Bring back to the boil steadily for 20 – 30 mins.
- Test for set after 20 mins. When set is reached, take off heat and skim, leave to cool then put in jars. Seal, cover and label.
Christmas Cake
Ingredients
5 oz sultanas
8 oz currants
5 oz raisins
2 oz glace cherries
1 oz flaked almonds
6 oz plain flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
5 oz butter
5 oz soft brown sugar
3 eggs
¼ teaspoon lemon rind
Baking time: 3.5 hours
Method
- Heat oven to 140C. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time with a little flour each time.
- Mix in fruit, nutmeg, salt and cinnamon. Mix in remaining flour and place in a 7” round baking tin which has been greased and lined with greaseproof paper. Bake for 1.5 hours at 140C and then reduce heat to 100C for last hour.
- Leave to cool and then add one dessertspoon of brandy and leave to soak in. Add more brandy at a later date if desired.
- Marzipan and ice for Christmas.
Clootie Dumpling
Ingredients
1 lb self raising flour
8 oz beef suet
4 tablespoons sugar (white or brown)
2 heaped tablespoons of treacle
1 lb fruit (currants, raisins, sultanas)
2 heaped teaspoons mixed spice
Pinch of salt
Milk to mix
Method
- Put all ingredients into a large bowl and add enough milk to make a dropping consistency. Meanwhile, place a plate into a pan with water and bring to the boil. Scald cloth in this and ring out. Spread out the cloth and dust with flour.
- Place dumpling mixture in centre of cloth, gather up cloth and tie with string leaving enough room to allow dumpling to swell as it cooks.
- Boil steadily for 3 to 3.5 hours, topping up with boiling water as required.
- When ready, lift out cloth and turn out onto a plate. Dry off in oven.
Leek and Potato Soup
Ingredients
1.5 pints of chicken or ham stock
1.5 pounds of potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 large leeks, washed and sliced
Salt and pepper to taste.
Method
Put all ingredients into a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for half an hour until potatoes are cooked. Liquidise if preferred. Serve piping hot with oatcakes or bread.
Lemon Chicken
Ingredients
4 chicken breasts or thighs
1/2 cup of melted butter
1 lemon unpeeled and thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Halve pieces of chicken and arrange in a shallow buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with seasoning.
- Pour melted butter over and lay slices of lemon on top to make a cover.
- Cook uncovered for 1 hour at 180C.