I was looking for a recipe for Tatties and Neeps the other day when I came across this recipe for Scottish Clapshot. I found it on a page called Larder Love. It sounded even better than Tatties and Neeps.
In fact it sounded very similar to a dish I had grown up with. My mother always cooked her turnips like this. This is how we ate them the whole time I was growing up. Mashed together with potatoes. Mom always said that the potato mellowed out any bitterness that the turnip might have.
Yes, we called them turnips, when in all truth, they are actually rutabagas. Orange fleshed turnips. We never called them anything but turnips, and you will see them in the shops labeled as turnips here as well. Perhaps it is a maritime thing.
Over in the U.K. they call them Swedes. I thought that was unusual when I first moved over to England, and did not quite know what they meant when I heard people talking about Swede. Then when I found out, I thought to myself turnips! But over there a turnips is a small white root vegetable, and a rutabaga is a Swede, not to be mixed up with someone from Sweden. Are you confused yet?
In Scotland, you will hear them being called Neeps. I have no idea where that term comes from.
At the end of the day, they are delicious, no matter the name, and you are either from the love them or loathe them school of thought. I think I am the only person in my surviving immediate family that is from the love them school.
This is quite simply a lovely side dish. Simple and easy to make. You just boil the vegetables together until tender. In equal amounts. Then they are mashed together and some butter is added, along with some seasoning and minced chives. I used minced spring onions.
I left a few of my turnips bits in chunks for some additional texture. It was delicious.
The whole time we were growing up, I never knew we were eating Clapshot. I do have Scottish ancestry however, so its really no surprise! This was just the way that turnips were prepared in my family, and in many other families. We are living in New Scotland after all, so . . .
It is what it is. This would be quite tasty served along side of your Easter Ham or Lamb.
I took the liberty of downsizing the recipe to feed only two people. It is quite simply delicious. I suspect the leftovers would be very delicious shaped into cakes, floured and then fried in butter. Yummy!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE TRADITIONAL SCOTTISH CLAPSHOT
Some pretty simple basic kitchen ingredients. There is nothing out of the ordinary here. Simple ingredients put together in the most delicious way. This recipe makes 2 servings.
- 1/2 pound (250g) floury potatoes (such as Russet or Maris Piper)
- 1/2 pound (250g) rutabaga (Swede, turnips, neeps)
- 2 TBS butter
- 2 TBS chopped chives (or minced spring onions)
- salt and white pepper to taste
You want a good floury potato for this dish. Something which mashes well. NEW potatoes are NOT the thing to use. They turn to glue when mashed. I highly recommend a russet potato.
In the U.K. use a Maris Piper, or a King Edward.
Rutabaga is a member of the turnip family. It is much larger than a regular turnip and the flesh is orange in color. We grew up calling them Turnips. In the U.K. they are more often than not called Swedes. I am not sure why. In Scotland you will also hear them being called Neeps. Again, I am not sure why.
Chives are generally used for this dish, stirred into the potato mixture and then a few sprinkled on top. I did not have chives, but had read where you could also use onion (mom did) but to be careful not to use so much as to overpower the delicate flavors of the potatoes and the turnips.
I used spring onions, trimmed and very finely minced. These get stirred in. I saved some to sprinkle on top of the finished dish.
I used white pepper as this is the type of pepper which is most commonly used in the U.K. I remember when I first moved over there thinking that the pepper smelled odd. That is because it was white pepper which is something I had never come across before. I learned to love it.
I did not use a lot of salt as I used salted butter. There is nothing else needed. No cream, or milk or anything else. Simple.
HOW TO MAKE TRADITIONAL SCOTTISH CLAPSHOT
Nothing could really be any easier to make. I love humble dishes such as this one. They make such a beautiful side with almost anything.
Peel your potatoes and rutabaga. Cut them into 1/2 inch cubes. Place into a saucepan and cover with cold water. Lightly salt.Bring to the boil. Cover and simmer at a fast simmer for about 20 minutes, or until both the potato and rutabaga are fork tender. Drain well.Return to the saucepan and shake over the residual heat of the burner to dry them out a bit.Mash well together in the pan, using a potato masher. Stir in the butter and most of the chives, reserving some to sprinkle on top when done.Season to taste with white pepper and salt. Pile into a bowl and sprinkle the reserved chives on top. (I like to add a small knob of butter as well.) Serve hot!
Notes
- Can be made up to a day in advance. Store in the refrigerator in a casserole dish, covered. Reheat in the oven.
- Will keep for up to two days, covered, in the refrigerator.
- You can freeze this, tightly covered, for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating until hot.
This delicious dish took me back to my childhood. I did not know what my mother was cooking for us was called Clapshot, nor that it was Scottish in origin. It was simply always the way she had cooked turnips/rutabaga for us.
A method handed down through the generations, most likely via her Scottish ancestry. She probably had no idea of its history either. It was simply good food. Simple food. The best things in life truly are the simple things!
If you are as big a fan of potatoes as I am, you may enjoy these delicious potato side dishes also!
CHEESE AND BROCCOLI STUFFED JACKET POTATOES - A fabulously delicious way to get in some extra bits of your five a day. Crispy skinned baked potatoes, which have been scooped out and then re-stuffed with lovely bits of cooked broccoli and cheese, as well as the cooked potato flesh. Simple and delicious.
SLOW FRIED LEMON & OREGANO POTATOES - Sliced waxy (salad) potatoes, cooked and fried slowly in a mixture of olive oil, butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, oregano and seasonings. Cooked long and slow, braised until almost jammy. Crisped up until golden brown and then some fresh spinach is added. Decidedly delicious!
Yield: 2 servingsAuthor: Marie Rayner
Traditional Scottish Clapshot
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 MinThis is a traditional Scottish side dish made from simple ingredients that goes well with most meats or haggis.Ingredients
- 1/2 pound (250g) floury potatoes (such as Russet or Maris Piper)
- 1/2 pound (250g) rutabaga (Swede, turnips, neeps)
- 2 TBS butter
- 2 TBS chopped chives (or minced spring onions)
- salt and white pepper to taste
Instructions
- Peel your potatoes and rutabaga. Cut them into 1/2 inch cubes. Place into a saucepan and cover with cold water. Lightly salt.
- Bring to the boil. Cover and simmer at a fast simmer for about 20 minutes, or until both the potato and rutabaga are fork tender. Drain well.
- Return to the saucepan and shake over the residual heat of the burner to dry them out a bit.
- Mash well together in the pan, using a potato masher. Stir in the butter and most of the chives, reserving some to sprinkle on top when done.
- Season to taste with white pepper and salt.
- Pile into a bowl and sprinkle the reserved chives on top. (I like to add a small knob of butter as well.) Serve hot!
Notes
Can be made up to a day in advance. Store in the refrigerator in a casserole dish, covered. Reheat in the oven.
Will keep for up to two days, covered, in the refrigerator.
You can freeze this, tightly covered, for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating until hot.
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