Tyrconnell Stovies

Many traditional recipes came along with the people that settled in Thomas Talbot’s domain. Stovies was one of those dishes. The simplicity of the basic Stovies has stood the test of time and you will still find it gracing contemporary tables around the world. On a cold day, nothing warms one’s insides like good old-fashioned Stovies. A long time Scottish tradition, Stovies can be made from any protein like beef, lamb or fish. It is a great way to use any roast left over from Sunday dinner so that none goes to waste.
Vegetables like potatoes, carrots, turnips and onions make up the rest of the Stovies ingredients. These root vegetables were a staple for the families that came to live in the Talbot Settlement. Potatoes and carrots were vegetables that stored well and could be counted on to last over the harsh Canadian winters. Potatoes were especially versatile as they were used to make any number of recipes from sweet to savoury.

You will need to start with a cast iron or heavy bottomed pot with a tight lid.

Ingredients

2 oz fat, drippings or butter
3 onions, chopped
2 lbs potatoes peeled and sliced in various thicknesses the biggest being a ¼ inch
½ lbs cooked lamb, sausage (if using sausage brown with onions), beef, venison or fish
½ of a small turnip
3 medium carrots, sliced
Stock, gravy or water (as much as you think you need…)
Salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste

Melt the fat on a medium setting in your heavy bottom pot. Add the chopped onions and sauté until fragrant, slightly translucent and light brown in colour. Reduce the heat and add your sliced potatoes. The varying thickness of the potato slices will create a delicious contrast with some cooking down to a mush while others stay intact. Shake the pot and stir to make sure the potatoes are coated in the fat. Cook for 10 minutes and then add your stock, carrots and turnip and cover with the pot lid. Continue to cook until the vegetables are tender. Add your lamb, beef, venison or fish. Heat through. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.
Serve with fresh baked bread or scones.

Dig in! It will warm you to your toes and show you just how good history can taste.