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A campaign to get people eating Scotch lamb to celebrate St Andrew's Day has been launched.
First Minister Alex Salmond officially launched the campaign, which is being backed by Scottish retailers, during a visit to Fife-based sheep and beef producer John Cameron at Balbuthie.
Mr Salmond welcomed the show of retailer commitment to the Quality Meat Scotland campaign supported by the Scottish Government.
The coming weeks will see Scotch Lamb promoted as "Perfect for St Andrew's Day" in almost 1000 outlets throughout Scotland. Among the major multiple retailers which will be encouraging shoppers to celebrate St Andrew's Day with Scotch Lamb are Tesco, Morrisons, Sainsbury, Marks and Spencer, The Co-operative and Lidl.
Additionally almost 800 butchers shops and independent retailers are also supporting the campaign, including around 300 Scotch Butchers Club members, and will be displaying promotional material featuring Leg of Scotch Lamb, developed in collaboration with the Scottish Federation of Meat Traders Association.
This month's launch of the Scotch Lamb St Andrew's campaign also marks the 20th anniversary of the world's first farm assurance scheme which was started in Scotland in November 1990.
John Cameron, host of today's visit by the First Minister, was also one of the original members of Scotland's Farm Assurance Scheme which pioneered the guarantees of welfare and provenance behind Scotch Lamb, Scotch Beef and Specially Selected Pork.
First Minister Alex Salmond said:
"With the support of Quality Meat Scotland we now have a commitment from many of the major retailers to support the campaign and encourage consumers to celebrate St Andrew's Day with succulent Scotch lamb. Already over 1,000 outlets across Scotland have signed up.
"We are aiming to make Scotch Lamb synonymous with St Andrew's Day in the same way that haggis is with a Burns supper. Rated amongst the best in the world, Scotch Lamb is currently at its peak of seasonality. Andrew Fairlie's menu offers the perfect way for friends and family to enjoy Scotch Lamb and all that's great about Scotland this St Andrew's Day - from its people to its history and vibrant culture.
"In Scotland lamb sales are worth over £30 million and its popularity is growing. And it's entirely fitting that we are marking the campaign - which is all about celebrating quality, provenance and farm assurance, here at Balbuthie - on the 20th anniversary of farm assurance, as John Cameron was one of the original members of the scheme."
Donald Biggar, Chairman of Quality Meat Scotland, said Scottish farmers should be rightly proud of their world-leading assurance schemes which underpin the industry.
"During the 20 years since farm assurance was pioneered it has grown and strengthened with farm assurance now complemented by further schemes covering animal feed, transport, auction markets and processors.
"The delivery of our schemes now also involves working closely with the Scottish SPCA and it is very important our schemes are robust and continue to build on the high welfare and other standards our customers expect," said Mr Biggar.
Scotch Lamb is also the main course ingredient in a special St Andrew's Day menu devised by two Michelin star chef Andrew Fairlie and Rural Secretary, Richard Lochhead.
Championing Scottish produce, the menu aims to encourage the whole nation to cook up a feast on 30 November with the finest local and seasonal ingredients, using Scotch Lamb as the culinary centrepiece.
Scots are encouraged to recreate the three-course meal including a warming winter Cullen Skink, succulent Roast Shoulder of Scotch Lamb with Potato and Onion and spiced winter fruit served with creamed vanilla rice pudding.
The menu will feature at various Scottish Government events dedicated to celebrating Scotland's national day and producers, processors and retailers will be promoting Scotch Lamb as the meat of choice in the weeks running up to St Andrew's Day.
Cullen Skink
Cullen Skink is a deliciously hearty classic, originating from the little fishing village of Cullen on the Moray Firth in Scotland
Ingredients
Serves 4
1tbsp olive or vegetable oil
1 leek, well- rinsed, chopped and cut into rough 2cm cubes
1 litre homemade fish stock or reduced-salt fish stock cube (or half standard stock cube) dissolved in 1 litre of water
200g of peeled waxy potatoes cut into roughly 2cm cubes
300g undyed smoked haddock fillet
1 bay leaf
Freshly ground pepper
2tbs whipping cream
Roughly chopped chives
Method
1.Warm the oil in a pan, add the chopped leek, cover and gently cook for a few minutes until soft.
2.Add the stock, bay leaf, potato and haddock. Season lightly with black pepper.
3.Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
4.Remove the haddock from the pan with a slotted spoon. When the fish is cool enough to handle, remove any skin and bones, then flake the haddock back into the pan.
5.Blend a ladle full of the soup in a liquidizer and return to the pan.
6.Stir in the double cream and simmer for another 2 or 3 minutes.
7.Add more black pepper if necessary, then sprinkle with the chopped chives and serve.
Serve with chunks of fresh wholemeal or granary bread
Recipes provided by Andrew Fairlie, chef at the world-famous Gleneagles Hotel.
Roast Shoulder of Lamb with Potato and Onion
Ingredients
Serves 4
1.5-2 kg shoulder of lamb trimmed of any excess fat
1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
4 medium onions, sliced
4 cloves garlic crushed
2 sprigs fresh rosemary chopped
2 kg potatoes peeled and thinly sliced
1 litre homemade lamb stock or reduced-salt lamb stock cube (or half a standard stock cube) dissolved in 1 litre of water
Method
1.Pre heat oven to 240 C/ 475 F/ Gas 9
2.Season the lamb with freshly ground pepper and roast in a medium roasting tray in the pre heated oven for 15 minutes, lower the heat to 180 C/ 350 f/ Gas 4
3.Remove the lamb from the tray and pour off the excess fat
4.While the lamb is roasting, heat the oil in a pan, add the onions, cover and cook for 5 minutes till soft. Remove the cover from the pan, add the garlic and rosemary and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove the onions from pan
5.Lay a layer of potatoes into the roasting tray and lightly season with black pepper
6.Lay 1/3 of the cooked onions onto the potatoes, repeat this process till you have three or four layers of potatoes and onions
7.Bring the lamb stock to the boil and pour over the potatoes, press down with a spoon till the potatoes are all submerged
8.Place the lamb on top and return to the preheated oven and continue to cook for 3 hours
9.The lamb should be meltingly tender and the potatoes and onions should have absorbed the stock and lamb juices
Serve with Scottish seasonal vegetables of your choice - most types of cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower and carrots are in season in November
Spiced Winter Fruit served with Creamed Vanilla Rice Pudding
Ingredients - Rice pudding
Serves 4
100g Arborio Rice
50g Caster Sugar
1 Vanilla Pod
500 ml semi-skimmed milk
100ml whipping cream
Ingredients - Spiced fruit
Serves 4
1.1 apple, cored and cut into eight
2.1 pear cored and cut into eight
3.2 plums, stoned and cut into four
4.12 ripe brambles
5.100g sugar
6.1 vanilla pod
7.2 star anis
8.1 cinnamon stick
Rice pudding
Method
1.Pre Heat Oven 150C/300F/ Gas 2
2.Mix milk and sugar in pan over a gentle heat
3.Split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds
4.Add the pod and the seeds to the milk and sugar, bring to a simmer
5.Stir in the rice, cover with greased baking paper and place into the oven for 50 min
6.Remove and leave to rest for 10 minutes
7.Remove the pod then fold in the whipping cream
Spiced fruit
Method
1.Put saucepan on to medium/high heat
2.Add the sugar to the pan and heat until the sugar until it liquidises and turns a pale caramel colour
3.Add apples, pears & plums and cook until the fruit lightly coloured
4.Remove from heat then add brambles
5.Split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds
6.Add the pod and the seeds to the fruit with the cinnamon and star anise
7.Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until the fruit is just soft
8.Remove from the oven and add the brambles
Pour the rice pudding into warmed bowls and serve with the winter fruits in the syrup on the side
First Minister Alex Salmond officially launched the campaign, which is being backed by Scottish retailers, during a visit to Fife-based sheep and beef producer John Cameron at Balbuthie.
Mr Salmond welcomed the show of retailer commitment to the Quality Meat Scotland campaign supported by the Scottish Government.
The coming weeks will see Scotch Lamb promoted as "Perfect for St Andrew's Day" in almost 1000 outlets throughout Scotland. Among the major multiple retailers which will be encouraging shoppers to celebrate St Andrew's Day with Scotch Lamb are Tesco, Morrisons, Sainsbury, Marks and Spencer, The Co-operative and Lidl.
Additionally almost 800 butchers shops and independent retailers are also supporting the campaign, including around 300 Scotch Butchers Club members, and will be displaying promotional material featuring Leg of Scotch Lamb, developed in collaboration with the Scottish Federation of Meat Traders Association.
This month's launch of the Scotch Lamb St Andrew's campaign also marks the 20th anniversary of the world's first farm assurance scheme which was started in Scotland in November 1990.
John Cameron, host of today's visit by the First Minister, was also one of the original members of Scotland's Farm Assurance Scheme which pioneered the guarantees of welfare and provenance behind Scotch Lamb, Scotch Beef and Specially Selected Pork.
First Minister Alex Salmond said:
"With the support of Quality Meat Scotland we now have a commitment from many of the major retailers to support the campaign and encourage consumers to celebrate St Andrew's Day with succulent Scotch lamb. Already over 1,000 outlets across Scotland have signed up.
"We are aiming to make Scotch Lamb synonymous with St Andrew's Day in the same way that haggis is with a Burns supper. Rated amongst the best in the world, Scotch Lamb is currently at its peak of seasonality. Andrew Fairlie's menu offers the perfect way for friends and family to enjoy Scotch Lamb and all that's great about Scotland this St Andrew's Day - from its people to its history and vibrant culture.
"In Scotland lamb sales are worth over £30 million and its popularity is growing. And it's entirely fitting that we are marking the campaign - which is all about celebrating quality, provenance and farm assurance, here at Balbuthie - on the 20th anniversary of farm assurance, as John Cameron was one of the original members of the scheme."
Donald Biggar, Chairman of Quality Meat Scotland, said Scottish farmers should be rightly proud of their world-leading assurance schemes which underpin the industry.
"During the 20 years since farm assurance was pioneered it has grown and strengthened with farm assurance now complemented by further schemes covering animal feed, transport, auction markets and processors.
"The delivery of our schemes now also involves working closely with the Scottish SPCA and it is very important our schemes are robust and continue to build on the high welfare and other standards our customers expect," said Mr Biggar.
Scotch Lamb is also the main course ingredient in a special St Andrew's Day menu devised by two Michelin star chef Andrew Fairlie and Rural Secretary, Richard Lochhead.
Championing Scottish produce, the menu aims to encourage the whole nation to cook up a feast on 30 November with the finest local and seasonal ingredients, using Scotch Lamb as the culinary centrepiece.
Scots are encouraged to recreate the three-course meal including a warming winter Cullen Skink, succulent Roast Shoulder of Scotch Lamb with Potato and Onion and spiced winter fruit served with creamed vanilla rice pudding.
The menu will feature at various Scottish Government events dedicated to celebrating Scotland's national day and producers, processors and retailers will be promoting Scotch Lamb as the meat of choice in the weeks running up to St Andrew's Day.
Cullen Skink
Cullen Skink is a deliciously hearty classic, originating from the little fishing village of Cullen on the Moray Firth in Scotland
Ingredients
Serves 4
1tbsp olive or vegetable oil
1 leek, well- rinsed, chopped and cut into rough 2cm cubes
1 litre homemade fish stock or reduced-salt fish stock cube (or half standard stock cube) dissolved in 1 litre of water
200g of peeled waxy potatoes cut into roughly 2cm cubes
300g undyed smoked haddock fillet
1 bay leaf
Freshly ground pepper
2tbs whipping cream
Roughly chopped chives
Method
1.Warm the oil in a pan, add the chopped leek, cover and gently cook for a few minutes until soft.
2.Add the stock, bay leaf, potato and haddock. Season lightly with black pepper.
3.Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
4.Remove the haddock from the pan with a slotted spoon. When the fish is cool enough to handle, remove any skin and bones, then flake the haddock back into the pan.
5.Blend a ladle full of the soup in a liquidizer and return to the pan.
6.Stir in the double cream and simmer for another 2 or 3 minutes.
7.Add more black pepper if necessary, then sprinkle with the chopped chives and serve.
Serve with chunks of fresh wholemeal or granary bread
Recipes provided by Andrew Fairlie, chef at the world-famous Gleneagles Hotel.
Roast Shoulder of Lamb with Potato and Onion
Ingredients
Serves 4
1.5-2 kg shoulder of lamb trimmed of any excess fat
1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
4 medium onions, sliced
4 cloves garlic crushed
2 sprigs fresh rosemary chopped
2 kg potatoes peeled and thinly sliced
1 litre homemade lamb stock or reduced-salt lamb stock cube (or half a standard stock cube) dissolved in 1 litre of water
Method
1.Pre heat oven to 240 C/ 475 F/ Gas 9
2.Season the lamb with freshly ground pepper and roast in a medium roasting tray in the pre heated oven for 15 minutes, lower the heat to 180 C/ 350 f/ Gas 4
3.Remove the lamb from the tray and pour off the excess fat
4.While the lamb is roasting, heat the oil in a pan, add the onions, cover and cook for 5 minutes till soft. Remove the cover from the pan, add the garlic and rosemary and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove the onions from pan
5.Lay a layer of potatoes into the roasting tray and lightly season with black pepper
6.Lay 1/3 of the cooked onions onto the potatoes, repeat this process till you have three or four layers of potatoes and onions
7.Bring the lamb stock to the boil and pour over the potatoes, press down with a spoon till the potatoes are all submerged
8.Place the lamb on top and return to the preheated oven and continue to cook for 3 hours
9.The lamb should be meltingly tender and the potatoes and onions should have absorbed the stock and lamb juices
Serve with Scottish seasonal vegetables of your choice - most types of cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower and carrots are in season in November
Spiced Winter Fruit served with Creamed Vanilla Rice Pudding
Ingredients - Rice pudding
Serves 4
100g Arborio Rice
50g Caster Sugar
1 Vanilla Pod
500 ml semi-skimmed milk
100ml whipping cream
Ingredients - Spiced fruit
Serves 4
1.1 apple, cored and cut into eight
2.1 pear cored and cut into eight
3.2 plums, stoned and cut into four
4.12 ripe brambles
5.100g sugar
6.1 vanilla pod
7.2 star anis
8.1 cinnamon stick
Rice pudding
Method
1.Pre Heat Oven 150C/300F/ Gas 2
2.Mix milk and sugar in pan over a gentle heat
3.Split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds
4.Add the pod and the seeds to the milk and sugar, bring to a simmer
5.Stir in the rice, cover with greased baking paper and place into the oven for 50 min
6.Remove and leave to rest for 10 minutes
7.Remove the pod then fold in the whipping cream
Spiced fruit
Method
1.Put saucepan on to medium/high heat
2.Add the sugar to the pan and heat until the sugar until it liquidises and turns a pale caramel colour
3.Add apples, pears & plums and cook until the fruit lightly coloured
4.Remove from heat then add brambles
5.Split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds
6.Add the pod and the seeds to the fruit with the cinnamon and star anise
7.Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until the fruit is just soft
8.Remove from the oven and add the brambles
Pour the rice pudding into warmed bowls and serve with the winter fruits in the syrup on the side