Stovies from Scotland - delicious!

There's a rumour that the word Stovies comes from the French "étouffée", to steam, but we think that's a load of old leftovers. Truth is that's exactly what stovies is - something to do on Monday with all that delicious meat and veg, fat and gravy, left over on the stove from the Sunday roast.

Often you'd get stovies in a pub during a darts match, or before and after the rugby or football. It'd be made more in winter to warm you up, and there'd be loads of salt in their recipes - why? So's you drink more! We present "Wee Stovies" - the scrapings off the stove - our basic recipe, and then some suggestions on how to spice it up a bit for a change each week. This recipe is free for private use only; all rights are reserved.

Our simple recipe for Stovies.

The picture is of our recipe below, using butter and with a chopped carrot

Chop the onions into a pot, add fat, and gently cook for 4-5 mins until soft. Add meat, stir into the onions and cook until a light brown. Peel, slice and dice your potatoes as you'd normally do. Hurtle them into the pot with the onions and meat. Chuck in the water, stock, salt, pepper. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on, shoogling (shaking!) or stirring the pot occasionally to make sure it doesn't all stick. Cook until the potatoes are soft (push a table knife through a piece to test). Don't worry if the bottom layer is a bit burnt as this adds to the flavour of the rest. Mmmm.

Serve on its own, or with a bowl of fresh green beans or garden peas

Mix it all up a little more, if necessary, and serve steaming hot onto plates or bowls. Serves 6 as a meal, 10 as a snack, eat with a fork or spoon. Traditionally serve with milk for some extraordinary reason, or more commonly with beer or whisky. Use oatcakes or French bread to mop up the plate. Tuck in!

Most companies on this page take overseas orders, please visit their websites. Chances are if you've been to Scotland you'll have been bitten by the midge before eating your stovies! If you're looking for after bite, natural midge repellent, midge net or citronella candle visit our sponsor's midge products website www.midgerange.com. There is, however, only anecdotal evidence that midges like stovies.

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Some extra ideas to make stovies different

Christmas candles and oils in gold organza gift bags: Gold Frankincense and Myrrh - cinnamon and orange, and frankincense and myrrh.

From Totally Herby of Scotland, sponsors of The Stovies website.