During
the Scottish Folk Revival of the 1960s, in many areas, you could visit a
different folk club every night of the week and have a plethora of venues at
the weekend. For ‘older folkies’ such The Flag’s Peter and Marilyn Wright, a
visit to Milnathort in a fortnights time will revive happy memories of forty
odd years ago, as the Kinross-shire town hosts the 19th
Milnathort Crackin’ Ceilidh Weekend (Friday 13 March – Saturday 15 March
2009). Among those taking part will be Tich Frier, Cairdeas, Shona
Donaldson, The Lomond Ceilidh Band and the premier Scottish folk duo, Oliver
Brown Award winners, Gaberlunzie (Gordon Menzies and Robin Watson). Festival
Artistes will be Fife’s own John Watt, Wildfire, Colin Ramage and Neil
Paterson making a veritable feast of Folk.
Open
sessions will be held in the Village Inn and the Bowling Club on both
Saturday and Sunday afternoons and the renowned Orwell Grid Championships
and Bairns Street Games will take place on Saturday from 12 noon onwards in
the Milnathort Primary School Playground. Spectators FREE!
Tickets
for the various concerts are all £8.00 and are available from Fiona McNeil,
28 Victoria Avenue, Milnathort, Kinross KY13 9YE (Tel: 07876 29884).
Milnathort Crackin’ Ceilidh Weekend 2009
Friday
13 March
8.00pm:
The Opening Ceilidh in the Town Hall with the Lomond Ceilidh Band and
Festival Artistes
Saturday 14 March
7.30pm:
Concert in the Town Hall with Gaberlunzie and Festival Artistes
9.00pm:
Concert in the Bowling Club with Tich Frier, Cairdeas and Shona
Donaldson
Sunday
15 March
2.00pm:
Youth Concert in the Bowling Club FREE
7.30pm:
Final Concert in the Bowling Club with ALL FESTIVAL ARTISTES LEFT
STANDING!
Kinross-shire was the second smallest county in Scotland prior to Scottish
Local government reorganisation in 1975. Milnathort lies near Kinross, the
only burgh in the old county, which stands beside one of Scotland’s most
famous trout lochs – Loch Leven. This week’s recipe must feature trout and
Battered Trout with Sweet Potato Chips and Mushy Peas is just the ticket.
Battered
Trout with Sweet Potato Chips and Mushy Peas
Ingredients:
For the sweet
potato chips: 30g/1oz butter; 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut
into thick chips; 1 garlic clove, lightly crushed; 1 sprig fresh rosemary; 1
sprig fresh thyme
For the battered
trout: 100g/3½oz plain flour; 2 tbsp cornflour; handful ice
cubes; small bottle sparkling water; vegetable oil, for frying; 1 trout
fillet, skinned
For the mushy peas:
30g/1oz butter; 1 garlic clove, crushed; 100g/3½oz frozen peas; 2-3
tbsp water or vegetable stock; salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. For the sweet potato chips, heat
the butter in an ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat and cook the sweet
potato, garlic and herbs for 5-6 minutes, or until slightly browned.
Transfer to the oven and cook for a further 10-12 minutes, or until the
sweet potato chips are golden brown and tender. Remove the thyme and
rosemary sprigs and discard.
For the battered trout,
place the flour, cornflour and ice cubes into a bowl and whisk in enough
sparkling water to make a batter the consistency of double cream (you may
not need it all). Fill a frying pan to a depth of about 2.5cm/1in with
vegetable oil and place over a medium heat. Dip the trout fillet into
the batter to coat on both sides, shaking off any excess. Carefully place
the battered trout into the pan and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side,
turning carefully with a fish slice, until the batter is crisp and
golden-brown and the fish is cooked through. Remove from the oil with a
slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
For the mushy peas, heat
the butter in a small saucepan and cook the garlic for one minute. Add
the peas and the water or stock. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and
simmer for 2-3 minutes. Allow to cool slightly. Pour the peas into a
food processor, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and blend
until smooth. To serve, place the sweet potato chips onto a plate, top
with the fish and serve the peas alongside.
Serves 1
