🍽️ Cuisine
Queenies
Pan-Fried Queen Scallops
Ingredients: 250g fresh queenies (queen scallops), 30g butter, 15ml olive oil, 2 garlic cloves (minced), Juice of half a lemon, 30g fresh parsley (chopped), Salt and white pepper to taste, Crusty bread for serving.
Preparation: Pat queenies completely dry with paper towels—this is essential for good browning. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over high heat until very hot. Add olive oil and half the butter. When butter foams and begins to brown, add queenies in a single layer without crowding. Sear 30-45 seconds without moving, then flip and sear 30 seconds more. They should be golden on the outside, just translucent in the center. Remove to warm plates. Add remaining butter and garlic to the pan, cook 30 seconds. Add lemon juice and parsley, swirl to combine. Pour the butter sauce over the queenies. Serve immediately with crusty bread to soak up every drop of the garlicky butter.
💡 Don't overcook queenies—they become rubbery in seconds. At 30-45 seconds per side, they should still be slightly translucent in the center.
Manx Loaghtan Lamb
Heritage Breed Roast
Ingredients: 400g Manx Loaghtan lamb leg or shoulder (bone-in), 4 garlic cloves (slivered), Fresh rosemary sprigs, 30ml olive oil, 15g coarse sea salt, Black pepper, 200ml red wine or stock, 300g root vegetables (carrots, parsnips) for roasting.
Preparation: Remove lamb from refrigerator 1 hour before cooking. Preheat oven to 220°C. Make small incisions all over the lamb and insert garlic slivers and small rosemary sprigs. Rub with olive oil, season generously with salt and pepper. Arrange root vegetables in roasting pan, place lamb on top. Roast 20 minutes at high heat to brown. Reduce heat to 170°C, add wine to pan. Continue roasting about 20 minutes per 500g for pink meat, basting occasionally. Rest lamb 15 minutes before carving. Serve with the roasted vegetables and pan juices as gravy. The meat should be darker than regular lamb—this is characteristic of the breed.
💡 Manx Loaghtan can be ordered online from specialist farms. Regular lamb works but lacks the distinctive character. This heritage breed deserves to be cooked pink to appreciate its unique flavor.
Bonnag
Manx Soda Bread
Ingredients: 300g flour, 5g baking soda, 5g salt, 30g butter (cold, cubed), 250ml buttermilk, 50g mixed dried fruit (optional for sweet version).
Preparation: Preheat oven to 200°C. Mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Rub in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. If making sweet bonnag, add dried fruit. Make a well in the center and pour in buttermilk. Mix quickly with a fork, then bring together with hands—don't overwork or the bread will be tough. Shape into a round about 5cm thick. Place on a floured baking sheet and cut a deep cross in the top (traditional for letting the fairies out). Bake 25-30 minutes until golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Cool on a wire rack. Best eaten warm on the day of baking, split and spread with butter.
💡 The key to tender bonnag is a light touch—overworking the dough activates gluten and makes the bread tough. Mix just until dough comes together.
