Tuesday 24 December 2013

lorne sau·sage

Roll on sausage has been our Christmas morning tradition for many years now. Eaten while we all open our stockings, it is the best kind of breakfast to nibble on while your hands are busy pulling off paper and sipping Champagne. The only changes we are going to make this year is to eat the roll on sausage with wheat beer as well as Champagne, but more importantly perhaps, we have made the lorne sausage ourselves.

Lorne sausage is a Scottish speciality. Instead of the sausage mixture being encased in sausage skins like sausage links, lorne sausage is a square, sliced sausage that fits perfectly in a morning roll or between two slices of bread. The sausage meat is made and then packed into a cling-film lined loaf tin and chilled in the freezer until it is set, but not frozen, then unmolded and sliced. The mixture itself is fairly spicy ; spicy with pepper, nutmeg and a bit of ground coriander. I always think it slightly strange that a traditional Scottish food should be spicy, but like a good peppery haggis, lorne sausage is indeed fairly spicy. HP sauce is the perfect accompaniment with the sweetness of the sauce going so well with the spiciness of the lorne sausage.

G is Scottish, and we really like this tradition that brings some his heritage to this, the other, side of the world at Christmas.

Lorne Sausage
makes 14 good slices

2kg of meat, half pork and half beef, with 20% fat, either from fatty pork belly or pork back fat, minced
1 1/2 cups fine bread crumbs, I used matzo meal
1 cup oatmeal
1 t ground white pepper
1 t ground black pepper
2 t freshly grated nutmeg
3 t ground coriander
3 t salt
1 cup of water

Mix everything together thoroughly. Fry a little of the mixture to check the seasoning.
Pack firmly into a plastic lined loaf tin, and chill in the freezer until it is set, but not frozen, about 45 minutes.
Carefully remove from the loaf tin and slice into 1-1.5cm slices.
If you want to freeze for later, perhaps Christmas morning, lay the slices on a plastic lines baking tray and freeze, bagging up once frozen.
To cook the lorne sausage, allow to thaw if frozen, then fry in a little oil or BBQ!
Serve in a soft roll for roll on sausage or between two slices of soft white bread for piece with sausage! Adding some HP sauce to complement the spiciness of the lorne sausage for a perfect breakfast.

Check Morsels and Musings for other Festive Food Fair fare.