Scottish Recipes - Mince and Tatties

Mince and Potatoes

Mince and Mash

or as most Scots say Mince and Tatties

Mince and Tatties

Every kid in Scotland gets this for dinner at some point during his/her childhood

I remember watching Dr. Who and eating this on the couch, its crazy to think that my mum actually allowed my sister and I to eat dinner in front of the TV, I think it only happened a few times a year, but somehow I remember this dinner and watching Dr. Who

I used to mix it up the mince and the tatties, and then flatten it out across my plate and make grooves in it with my fork like a ploughed field then eat it, a little section of the field, at a time. My dad used to do the same thing, I'm sure he must have showed me this Mince and Tatties eating technique but I don't recall, I just know I do this and so does he

Adding ketchup to your mixed up mince and tatties always made it pink, did anyone else do that?

I always add good old brown sauce to my mince these days

yum

OK, now the reminiscing is over lets get down to making this staple in Scots households

So this recipe is how my mum made it and she passed it to me, others make it differently using a beef stock cube but this is how its made in our house

you will need


To make the Mince
1lb Mince (Ground beef in USA) - I prefer lean beef, but any is good
Bisto Beef granules or powder
1 Onion


To make the Tatties
Potatoes
Milk 
Butter
wee bit salt and pepper

Potatoes

Mince (Ground beef)

Bisto

Put Ground beef (Mince) into a large pot and Brown the beef


Cover browned beef with cold water and bring to boil

Browned Mince covered in water

Lower temp. and simmer for 30 minutes


I sometimes add a whole onion in there while simmering to add flavour and later share the cooked onion amongst the plates


Add Bisto according to box after 30 minutes of cooking time (I used 2 tbsp of Bisto Beef granules)


Meanwhile peel and chop potatoes and boil in a large pot until tender

Potatoes boiling

Add desired milk and butter to tastes, along with some salt and pepper and mash until no lumps


Serve Mince and Tatties (Mash) along with vegetables of choice, maybe some cooked carrots or peas

Delicious

My mother in law also adds chopped turnip to her mince, it adds great flavour and is a nice alternative

We had this Mince and Tatties dinner at her house on our last visit to Scotland, we had fresh shelled peas and freshly picked beans from the In Laws allotment, canny beat it

Mince and Tatties

Sir Scoffs-A-Lot picking peas in Scotland

So we are having Mince and Tatties for dinner tonight

Now where did I put that Dr. Who DVD?



Angela