Puffin In The Basket

by Frugal MacDougall, Lerwick

Just in case the RSPCA is thinking about giving me a call....you are supposed to read and giggle...

Here's my recipe for that well known Shetland dish - "Puffin In The Basket"

Ingredients

1 large puffin

1 medium sized basket

2 potatoes

They Taste Great..Apparently

Recipe

Take the puffin (either free range from a cliff or alternatively from your local puffin supplier) and place it in the basket. Season well. If it's a feisty little blighter or has an aversion to baskets you may have to get a friend or family member to restrain him until the rest of the ingredients are prepared.

Peel the two potatoes and chop them into chips or, if you want to impress a lady friend, wedges.  Deep fry the chips (or wedges) until golden brown. Drain the chips (or wedges) and place decoratively around the puffin.  This will help to weigh him down. 

A true Shetlander would now eat the puffin and chips (Shetlanders would never make wedges) and when only the beak was left, use that as a tooth pick.

HOWEVER, a much more fun and compassionate alternative is to see which of you, the puffin or you, eats most of the chips (or wedges).  You see puffins love chips and especially wedges and only eat sand eels because that's what mother nature's provided for them.  And they're pretty hacked off about it frankly. 

Anyway, that's my recipe for 'Puffin in the Basket'. Enjoy ! 

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