The Red Brolly Inn at Ballinluig, just off the A9 at Pitlochry, has launched a new all day menu and has discovered that when it comes to popular pitstop recipes, the traditional favourites with a twist are the answer.
Sausage casserole, beef and ale pie and chicken with haggis have all been voted the top three dishes by customers.
Chef Tommy McPhee said: “We are family friendly but with something for everyone. We are also feeding hungry travellers so we have to give great value for money.
“We cook to order so customers can be assured of really fresh food. We still have favourites such as our scotch beef and Lia Fail pie with ale from the Inveralmond Brewery – that is a real customer favourite.
“Our specials offer dishes such as sea bass, but on a Sunday, it has to be roast with all the trimmings.”
Tommy has recreated the recipes so that readers can try them for themselves at home – perfect for those cold winter nights.
SAUSAGE CASSEROLE
- FOR 4 SERVINGS
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 2 large onions
- 4 carrots
- Few strips of bacon (optional)
- Few cloves of garlic (optional)
- Red wine (optional)
- 12 good quality pork sausages
- Rich gravy stock – bought or homemade – 500 ml
- Can of butter or mixed beans – optional
Chop two large onions and dice four carrots. Brown off sausages. Fry off the veg and add bacon and garlic if desired. Add the stock and a small amount of red wine can also be added. Add sausages.
Cook for 35 mins in the oven at Gas Mark 6 or equivalent. You can add butter beans or mixed beans too for a slightly different texture – these should be drained and rinsed and added to the dish with 10 minutes’ cooking time left.
BEEF & LIA FAIL PIE
- SERVES 3
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Plain flour
- 2 large onions
- 1 carrot
- 2 gloves garlic
- 1kg shoulder steak
- Rich gravy stock – 500ml
- Lia Fail ale or equivalent – 500g
- Puff pastry – 300g
- Egg for glazing
Brown the meat with the onions and garlic – coat meat in plain flour prior to browning – add the ale. Add diced carrot then the rich stock – bring to a strong simmer. Top up with water if need be. If you like you can add mushrooms or other vegetables at this stage. Add puff pastry over the top and add egg glaze. Put in the oven for two and a half hours at a low heat -gas mark 3 or equivalent.
CHICKEN AND HAGGIS WITH PEPPERCORN SAUCE
- SERVES 4
- Olive oil
- 4 chicken breasts – butterflied
- 4 slices of haggis – mashed
- FOR THE PEPPER SAUCE:
- 2 to 3 tablespoons of mixed peppercorns
- 60g butter
- 1 shallot minced
- 100ml brandy
- 100ml chicken stock
- 60ml double cream
- salt to taste
Brown chicken in the pan with olive oil. Stuff with the mashed haggis. Wrap in tinfoil and put in oven for 18 minutes – gas Mark 6 or equivalent until chicken fully cooked through.
For sauce: Crush peppercorns slightly with either a pestle & mortar or a rolling pin. Melt butter in saucepan over a medium heat and add shallot and saute. Add peppercorns and brandy and boil for three minutes. Add hot chicken stock and boil for another three minutes. Add double cream – reduce heat to medium. Heat through but do not allow to boil. When desired consistency is reached, test for seasoning and add salt if desired.