Dr Mobeus
Scottish Stovies
Stovies are the great Scottish comfort dish, the meal that traditionally stretched Sunday’s roast into a second supper on Monday night. The name comes from the Scots word for stewing food gently in a covered pan, and that is exactly what happens: potatoes and onions cooked down in stock until they collapse into something between a mash and a stew.
This version swaps the leftover roast for a few value sausages, which keeps the cost down to about £1.40 for four proper portions. That is less than a single ready meal from the chiller aisle, and it feeds the whole table.
The trick with stovies is to beat them at the end. A good hard stir with a wooden spoon breaks the potatoes down until the dish turns rough and creamy. Served with pickled beetroot and a lot of black pepper, it is one of the most satisfying cheap dinners there is.
Scottish Stovies
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the dripping in a large lidded pan over a medium-low heat and cook the onions slowly for 10 minutes until soft and golden. Do not rush this step, the onions are the flavour base of the whole dish.
- Add the sausage chunks and fry for 5 minutes until browned all over.
- Tip in the potatoes and pour over the stock. Add the Worcestershire sauce if using and season well with salt and pepper.
- Cover and simmer gently for 25 minutes until the potatoes are completely soft and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Take the lid off and beat the mixture hard with a wooden spoon until the potatoes break down and the whole thing turns rough and creamy, with flecks of onion and sausage running through it.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve in bowls with pickled beetroot on the side, which is the traditional pairing.
Tips and Variations
The classic stovies were made with leftover roast beef and a spoonful of its dripping, so use that whenever you have it. If the mixture looks too wet when you beat it, keep the pan bubbling with the lid off for a few more minutes. A splash of milk at the end makes them extra creamy. Pickled beetroot is the traditional side, but a fried egg on top is also very good.
