SCOTLAND'S top chef Nick Nairn likes to spend St Andrew's night with his family at their home in the Trossachs.

Let's face it, the last night of November in Scotland has a tendency to be cold and wet - not weather to tempt us out.

So for all those who don't fancy braving the elements but still want to celebrate in style,Nick has devised a menu for Record readers.

Nick said:"Smoked salmon is quintessentially Scottish and an ideal starter when teamed with a tattie scone.

"My Cook School has it's own brand of Loch Duart Salmon and I've just launched the Nick Nairn tattie scone in supermarkets.

"Scotland has the finest beef in the world and it makes a fabulous main course with a whisky and mushroom cream sauce.

"For dessert, I've pinched a recipe from Shirley Spears at the Three Chimneys on Skye.

"Marmalade was invented in Dundee, so it doesn't get much more Scottish than that."

When it comes to drinking a toast to our Patron Saint, Scots don't need any advice.But if anyone finds Nick's recipes too tricky, perhaps it's time visit his cook school (www.nicknairncook school.com).Weather permitting...

COLLOPS OF BEEF WITH WHISKY AND MUSHROOM CREAM, SERVED WITH SKIRLIE POTATO CAKES AND ROAST ROOT VEGETABLES

3 tbsp black peppercorns 4 fillet steaks, weighing about 175g each 4 tsp Dijon mustard Freshly ground sea and freshly ground pepper 2 tablespoons sunflower oil 50g butter 200g fresh cep mushrooms, thickly sliced 50ml whisky 50ml beef stock 50ml doublecream For the potato cakes: 40g butter 30g smoked dry cure bacon, chopped 85g finely chopped onion 1/2 garlic clove 1kg potatoes (Red Rooster or Maris piper) 80g pinhead oatmeal 3g thyme leaves 7g chopped flat-leaf parsley Pinch Maldon sea salt Few turnsblack pepper 50g seasoned flour, to coat 4 tbsp olive oil For the root veg: 2 tbsp sunflower oil 25g butter 1 swede, cut into 8 slices 2 large carrots, cut into 8 slices 4 sticks of celery, cut into 5cm pieces

First make the skirlie potato cakes.

Place a heavy frying pan on to a medium heat and melt the butter. Add the bacon and fry for two minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook for another two minutes, stirring occasionally and taking care not to allow the mix to burn.

Peel the potatoes then quarter them. Place in a pan of simmering salted water and cook gently until tender, but don't allow them to start disintegrating. Drain well, then return the potatoes to the pan and place over a low heat to help evaporate off anyexcess water.

When dry, pass the potatoes through a mouli or potato ricer into a clean bowl and keep warm.

Meanwhile, add the oatmeal to the bacon and stir well, reducing the heat under the pan slightly.