Texans admire Robert Burns too

Just to get you in the mood for this blog post, I hope you will listen to Dougie MacLean singing "Auld Lang Syne". My husband Wayne and I did just that when we held our own private celebration of Burns' Night this year.

The lyrics to "Auld Lang Syne" were written by Robert Burns, 18th century Scots poet,

whose birthday is commemorated each year on January 25th.  Burns' Night celebrations, held worldwide, are often formal dinners with attendees sporting tartans and taking part in rituals, speeches, music, and dancing.  We decided to celebrate at home by preparing a special Scottish dish, listening to Scottish music, and exchanging memories of trips to Scotland.

The dish was called "Roasted Root Vegetables," from A Year in a Scots Kitchen by Catherine Brown. My version of the recipe is included at the end of this post, and I promise you it is tastier than the name may imply!

We couldn't let Burns' Night pass without a wee nip of a ten year old single malt whisky, Glenmorangie, from a very small souvenir bottle.  We left enough in the  bottle for several more years of celebrations.

As I was writing this post, I began to wonder if celebrating Burns' Night might appear as an affectation to our fellow Texans and South Westerners.  So I researched Scots heritage in our region and found some amazing facts and connections.

First, some statistics.  Forty per cent of Stephen F. Austin's colonists were of Scottish ancestry. Four Scots and 26 men of Scots descent fought at the Battle of the Alamo, including Piper John MacGregor.  Ten men from Scotland financed the building of the Texas state capitol and were awarded 150,000 acres, which became the XIT Ranch (Ten in Texas).  Over half of Texas counties are named for persons of Scottish ancestry.

And you may be familiar with these names, especially if you are a native Texan:  Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin, Jim Bowie, Daniel Boone, Big Foot Wallace, and J. Frank Dobie - all are of Scottish heritage.

Here are three little know facts that caught my eye.  The word "spread" used in Texas for "ranch" is said to derive from the Gaelic "spreid" (flock of sheep) and "spreidith," cattle or livestock.  "Y'all," much beloved in Texas, often used as a plural form of "you," but even as a singular form sometimes, may derive from the Gaelic "sibh vile," which translates to "you all."  And did you know that the official state tartan for Texas is the Texas Bluebonnet Tartan?

 I didn't, but I am now looking for a source for this cloth to decorate our Scottish-themed guest room.

Why didn't I learn about the Scots and their influence on the Southwest in my high school Texas History class, I wonder?

Here's the recipe I promised.

Roasted Root Vegetables (serves four)

Buy:

one small turnip

four small parsnips

four small carrots

four medium potatoes

four small onions

one bulb fennel

You will also need one-third cup extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, two sprigs fresh rosemary, one bulb garlic and one tablespoon sesame seeds.

Heat oil in a roasting pan in a 450F oven for five minutes.  Cut all vegetables into large chunks of similar size.  Place vegetables in pan, coating with oil. Add garlic bulb with top cut off, salt and rosemary. Cook for 40-45 minutes, basting with oil halfway through.  Press the cloves out of the bulb and mix garlic with vegetables. Add sesame seeds.asty

My favorite Mexican breakfast

Cold winter mornings in the Southwest are a good excuse to eat a hearty breakfast. My favorite winter breakfast (actually any season of the year, if the truth be known) is a dish called huevos rancheros (ranch style eggs).The easiest path to huevos rancheros is to a nearby Mexican food restaurant, where you order coffee (hopefully laced with cinnamon) and sit back and enjoy your meal, the only decision being whether to order flour or corn tortillas on the side.

But you may feel the urge to create your own huevos rancheros at home. The procedure is easy enough if you have the ingredients at hand. I must admit the kitchen gets a little messy making this recipe, but the authentic taste is worth the extra trouble.

The number of recipes for huevos rancheros is probably equal to the number of different cooks who prepare this popular breakfast or brunch dish. But I’ve never had a plate of huevos rancheros I didn’t like. Here are the basic directions. Feel free to put your personal touch on them.




Ingredients:

softened corn tortillas (two per person)

cooked eggs (one to top each tortilla)

sauce or topping to spoon over the cooked eggs

grated cheese




Soften each corn tortilla by dipping gently in hot oil for a few minutes. Place an egg cooked to specifications of diners on the tortilla (I like my eggs over hard, but most people like them a little runny). Cover the tortilla and egg with a sauce or topping. Here is where your creativity can run free!




For my taste, the most authentic huevos rancheros are made with thick red chile sauce.

 However, some restaurant cooks prefer a topping of mostly sauteed green chiles.

 

Other restaurants serve the dish with a topping of vegetables, tomatoes, chiles, onion, and garlic that have been sauteed and seasoned.

Any type of grated cheese works for a topping, but I find that white cheeses, like mozzarella or monterey jack work well because they don't compete with the tastes of other ingredients. Some delightful Mexican white cheeses also work well if you are fortunate enough to find them in your home town.

Huevos rancheros are usually accompanied by side dishes, which can be Spanish rice, refried beans, hash brown potatoes, and perhaps a small dab of lettuce and tomato salad (just in case you are trying to eat healthy!)

My husband Wayne and I make a sport of ordering huevos rancheros in new restaurants in new cities of the Southwest, just to see which rendition will arrive at the table.

Do you have a favorite version of huevos rancheros?  I would love to hear about it. 


















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