Skirlie

This recipe puts me in mind of a traditional Scottish kind of gomasio. A crunchy and salty topping and snack food with plenty of flavor. It's good on all sorts of things but lends itself particularly well to Rumpledethumps.

¼ cup (2oz/58gr) butter (or bacon fat or beef suet)

1 onion (6oz/170gr) finely chopped

4 oz pinhead (synonyms: medium or steel cut) oats 

¼  to ½ tsp salt, or to taste

Pepper, to taste

1. Melt the butter over medium heat and sauté the onion until lightly browned.
2. Add the oatmeal and stir slowly until all the fat is absorbed; the onion should become dark and just crispy, about 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Rumbledethumps

A very starchy, fatty dish with vegetables, therefore it's good for you. Nah, I'm not like that. If you have ingredients that are grown naturally and with care, it's all good for you. And this traditional English recipe is particularly good when served with the superlative Scottish condiment, Skirlie. In fact, the recipe below includes when to start the Skirlie so it's ready in time to eat with the Rumbledethumps. If nothing else, I get a kick of announcing that we're having Rumbledethumps with Skirlie for dinner!

4-5 servings

2lbs potatoes, cooked and mashed

20oz turnip or rutabaga or kohlrabi, cooked and mashed

⅓ cup (5oz/76gr) butter

24oz cabbage or Kale, sliced very thin

1 tsp salt 

Pepper to taste

3 oz cheddar cheese

1 recipe of Skirlie

1. Preheat the oven to around 350°F. 
2. If you have to boil the potato and turnip to make this, boil them together.
3. Melt all the butter in a frying pan and braise the cabbage or kale until softened (do not brown). 
4. Add the mashed potato and turnip to the cooked veg and combine thoroughly to incorporate all the browning and butter from the pan. 
5. Put the mash in an oven-proof baking tray, cover with a lid or aluminum foil and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until heated through and bubbling. 
6. While baking, make the Skirlie.
7. Remove the lid, sprinkle the cheese on top and cook until golden brown, another 15 minutes.
8. Serve with Skirlie on the side for each diner to sprinkle on top as needed.