Sampling from “Scotch Colony Hearts and Hearths” History/Cookbook, now available for $20, proceeds to support Scotch Colony projects.

Upper Kintore

Oatmeal Dressing

Recipe from Ethel (Flewelling) Barclay and Myra Barclay

2 c oatmeal
2 finely chopped onions
Salt & pepper
4 Tbsp of turkey drippings

Stir oatmeal, onions and seasonings into hot drippings. Put the dressing in a turkey. Variations: You can use use a cup of oatmeal and 1 cup of bread crumbs and add ½ tsp of sage. The Grierson family used summer savoury instead of sage. Often Carrie Grierson made hers with olive oil instead of drippings and added a bit of chicken or turkey broth for moisture in the latter years when cholesterol became a problem. When Jean Drum, of Bon Accord made this dressing she used only 1 c oatmeal along with the 2 onions. This dressing was commonly used among the Scots of the Scotch Colony. Aunt Ethel Barclay & Grammie (Myra) Barclay would always make oatmeal dressing to put in their turkeys or chickens. Many of the family members still use it or a variation of it today. The Scots’ name for oatmeal stuffing is Skirlie.

Sampling from “Scotch Colony Hearts and Hearths” History/Cookbook, now available for $20, proceeds to support Scotch Colony Fest140, August 23-25, 2013.

Scotch Colony Hearts and Hearths: History/Cookbook

Fiddlehead Chowder

Recipe from the Kincardine United Church Women

4 large potatoes, peeled and diced
Water to cover potatoes (or replace water with clear chicken stock)
4 Tbsp chicken soup base powder, if no stock was used
4 Tbsp butter
1 large white onion, chopped finely (about 1 c. chopped)
Dash of each nutmeg, cayenne pepper, curry powder, garlic powder
4 cups fresh or frozen fiddleheads
2 – 3 cans evaporated milk

In a large heavy saucepan simmer potatoes until almost tender.
Saute butter and onion in small skillet until tender. Add to potatoes.
Season and then add fiddleheads to simmering potatoes and simmer 15 more minutes

(If fresh, snip the stems of the fiddleheads into ½ inch pieces and leave the heads whole. If frozen you may want to add them frozen and when thawed, reach in and snip the long stems with kitchen scissors).

Add milk. Bring back just to steaming temperature, stirring so that the chowder does not catch on the bottom.

The internet recipe we used said to puree the chowder before serving but we decided that we like the colour and texture of the whole fiddleheads in the tasty milk broth.

Serve hot with Buttermilk Biscuits.

Personal Notes: This chowder was served at a Spring meeting of the Kincardine United Church Women.