Chef Gary Maclean has no shortage of culinary high honors and awards. He was the winner of Masterchef: The Professionals (a BBC cooking competition show), and he was also named Scotland's first National Chef. He's embraced his role as culinary ambassador and educator with the same zeal that he's applied to running beloved restaurants and crafting distinctive twists on Scottish classics.
His Scottish Kitchen cookbook brings those threads together, allowing Maclean a vehicle to promote the richness and breadth of ingredients from Scotland. "Scotland's larder has some of the world's most sought-after food. Its phenomenal beef, fish and shellfish are unrivaled -- from langoustines to black puddings, from hot smoked salmon to Shetland mussels."
Maclean is also passionate about bolstering the already strong ties between Scotland and North America. He's been involved in promoting Scottish culture in the Americas for at least 25 years, having done culinary demonstrations with the Chicago Scots organization. His book is a logical extension of those efforts.
"I decided to write this book because I felt that a book celebrating Scottish traditional food, written for a modern kitchen and lifestyle, had not been done before."
Chef Maclean and Penguin Random House have been kind enough to share a few recipes with us from his book.
I have always considered mac ’n’ cheese to be a Scottish dish. I know it’s pasta, but growing
up and watching my mum make it from a tartan package, what else would I think? Marshalls
pasta company has been making pasta for over a hundred years and, what’s more, it’s made
in Glasgow. Macaroni is a staple for most families in Scotland and we are now five generations
in using Glasgow’s own. I have put it on menus for years, and have even sold it in Scottish
restaurants I have opened and called it Scotland’s very own pasta dish. Changing it up a little
by adding smoked haddock really lifts it. If you are feeling indulgent, lobster is also a fantastic
addition.
Ingredients
1 small onion
1 bay leaf, optional
2 cloves, optional
2 cups (500 ml) whole milk
9 oz. (250 g) pale smoked haddock
Scant ¼ cup (50g) butter
2 oz. (50 g) all-purpose flour
2 oz. (50 g) Cheddar cheese, grated
Salt and Pepper
1 teaspoon good oil
2 leeks, finely sliced
9 oz. (250g) macaroni
3½ oz. (100g) Cheddar cheese, grated
4 tablespoons white breadcrumbs
Directions
For the Sauce - Peel your onion, then using the cloves pierce the bay leaf onto the onion. Place the studded onion into a small pot and cover with the milk. This is a classic, but I still do it.
Next, remove any bones that might still be in your haddock and place
the fillets into the milk. This is going to do a couple of things: cook the
haddock and flavor the milk. This will then flavor the whole dish.
Slowly bring the milk up to a simmer, then turn off the heat and allow
the studded onion and the haddock to infuse.
Melt the butter in another small pan, then add flour and mix to form a
thick paste called a roux.
Carefully remove the haddock and set aside.
Meanwhile, cook your roux for 3 to 4 minutes, then slowly start to add
the warm flavored milk and then the Cheddar cheese. Stir continuously
while the milk and cheese are added until you achieve a smooth sauce with
the consistency of thick whipping cream. If you add the milk a little at a
time, you will avoid making a lumpy sauce.
Simmer for 10 minutes over a very low heat to avoid burning the sauce,
stirring every minute or so.
Once cooked, cover with plastic wrap or parchment paper to avoid it
skinning.
For the Pasta and Veg Heat the oil in a large, lidded pan over a low heat. Add the leeks, cover and cook for 5 minutes until tender.
Meanwhile, cook the macaroni in a large pan of boiling salted water as per the package instructions until al dente. It shouldn’t be completely soft as it will continue to cook when baked. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Add the sauce to your cooked leeks with half of the cheese. Add the cooked pasta, then gently fold in the cooked smoked haddock and place into an ovenproof baking dish.
Top with the remaining cheese, then scatter the breadcrumbs over the top.
Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden and bubbling around the edges. Serve immediately.
