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Laurel Bank tea rooms in Broughton |
I’ll have that with cheese please!
A trip to Scotland leaves Clare Latimer a little bit batty, but the dishes she enjoyed between dramas are simple and sumptuous
I HAVE just been up to Edinburgh for an 80th birthday, staying in a bat-protected house. Some highlights: bats on the bathroom floor and flying round the bedrooms; and a grandson who put a nail through his foot and covered me with blood as I carried him back to the house. I went on to stay with friends in the Borders, where frogs legs were hanging out of chicken’s beaks. Apart from all this I had a wonderful time...
On the way to the Borders I went to Skirling to find the farm where my mother was brought up and nearby, at Broughton, I came upon the Laurel Bank tea rooms.
I knew from the menu that the food was home-made. There were interesting soups and main dishes and with the choice of toasted sandwiches you were offered either brie, cheddar or Jarlsberg.
After poking my nose around the open kitchen area the owner, previously a music journalist in Edinburgh, told me his speciality was curry, which he was stirring at the time, and the recipe is coming to this column soon. For now, you can see his menu on his website.
Of course I kept my culinary eye open all the time and the vote for eating out goes to Montiviot House, home of The Rt Hon Michael Ancram, QC, MP, where there is a plant shop with a superb café. I then went on to Jedburgh and was taken to Learmonth butchers, who have just won the best pie award with a Chicken and Haggis Pie which you reheat in the paper bag that it comes in. It was delicious and they can be ordered from their website (www.ajl-jedbutchers.co.uk/). All his meats were local and free-range. Well worth trying.
Gruyere and rocket quiche
This is the dish I chose from the Montiviot café and the rocket adds a peppery flavour to the wonderful strong cheese flavour. Go carefully with the salt. Serve with a tomato salad.
Ingredients
Serves 4-6
250g flour
Pinch sea salt
125g butter
Half teasp mustard
powder
1 teasp fresh thyme, leaves only
1 med red onion, peeled and chopped finely
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 desp olive oil
3 eggs
200ml crème fraiche
200ml milk
Freshly ground black pepper
200g fresh wild rocket
200g Gruyere cheese, grated.
Method
To make the pastry, rub the flour, salt, butter, mustard powder and thyme together with your fingertips until the mix resembles breadcrumbs.
Slowly add some chilled water and, using a round bladed knife, stir until it starts to turn like dough. Stop at this point and, using your hands, knead lightly into a dough ball. Chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F / gas 6.
Gently fry the onion and garlic in a frying pan with the olive oil for about five minutes or until the onion is soft. Mix the eggs and crème fraiche in a bowl with the milk, some salt and pepper and then mix in the rocket and Gruyere.
Roll out the chilled pasty to the size of your 22cm approx quiche dish and then, lifting it with your rolling pin, lay over the top. Using your hands, press down into the sides. Cut off the top and tidy.
Spoon in the onion mix and spread evenly over the pastry. Pour in the egg mixture and place on a baking tray. Cook in the oven for about 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown on the top. Leave to stand for about 15 minutes then serve slightly cooled.
Jarlsberg toasted sandwich
Here is the Laurel Bank-type toasted sandwich done my way – it’s a great quick and fulfilling lunch or snack.
A toasting machine is certainly the best way to produce the oozing, crispy sandwich but this is second best and allows you to get more filling in. Vary the filling to suit your choice and what is in your fridge.
Ingredients
Serves 1
Butter for spreading
2 slices bread of your choice, thinly cut
Little dijon mustard
1 slice Jarlsberg cheese
Fresh chives
1 slice homemade ham
1 small ripe tomato
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Method
Spread some butter and then mustard on each slice of bread on one side.
Lay the cheese on one slice and snip over some fresh chives. Lay the slice of ham and tomato slices. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper and top with the other slice of bread. Press down fairly firmly with your hand.
Put some butter into a frying pan. When just bubbling, place the sandwich in the pan using a spatula. Turn heat to medium and fry until the bottom is golden brown. Turn and repeat. When golden on both sides the cheese should be melted and gooey. Cut into quarters and serve hot. |
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