Clootie Dumpling

		If you’ve heard that the Scots have high heart failure problems, then this ancient cholesterol-level buster may be to blame. It’s that or the sweeties and the Irn Bru that does it. The word ‘clootie’ refers to the tea cloth (cloot) in which the dumpling is steamed for several hours.

Ingredients:

Mixed dried fruits (2oz - 50g raisins, 4oz - 125g each of sultanas and currants)
4 oz 125g wholemeal flour, and 4 oz -125g shredded beef suet
5oz - 150g fresh breadcrumbs and 1-teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon each of mixed spices including nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger
1 grated apple and 1 grated carrot
2 fresh eggs, and both the zest and juice of a lemon
1-cup fresh orange and 2 tablespoons of treacle
1 teacloth and 1 desert spoon plain flour

Recipe:

1. Boil a half-full, deep pan of water (with an up-side down saucer on the base), and steam the teacloth over it for several minutes

2. Remove cloth (mind your fingers!), spread it on your work surface and sprinkle it with the plain flour.

3. Mix all the ingredients to a stiff texture and place in the centre of the cloth, and tie it with string, leaving some slackness for swelling during cooking.

4. Slowly lower in the cloth – the water should be no more than ½ way up the cloth. Raise the temperature back to boiling point, then simmer very slowly for about four hours with a lid covering tightly. Don’t let the water evaporate away, so top up with some boiling from the kettle if needed.

5. Take another deep pan and fill it with cold water. Lift the cloot and lower the dumpling into the cold water for 90 seconds. Remove. This quick cooling enables the dumpling to slip easily out of the cloth. Place an inverted plate on top, reverse and remove, then dry the outer skin of the dumpling in a hot oven for 7/8 minutes.

6. Serve hot, with vanilla ice cream for maximum irritation to any health faddist present. Sliced cold it is equally delicious.