Haggis and other Scottish stuff

[xmascarol1]

Well, last night I had a Robbie Burns night (Jan. 24) and made haggis. It was the first time I'd ever had it and of course didn't have a sheep's stomach to use. Here's what I did. I went to the butcher and he sold me a sausage casing that would be used for making souse or some other large cased sausage. I soaked that. In my haggis I put 1/2 # each of calf liver, lamb and venison. I minced those up in my food processor. Added 4 oz. beef suet, grated, 1 cup toasted oatmeal, 1 t. nutmeg, 1 t. ground pepper, 1/2 t. red pepper flakes, salt ,1 egg, and a little juice from the liver, which I had cooked for a minute or so before mincing it. I stuffed the casing with the mixture and tied it. Oh, it so lovely looking. Just about the right size for a mock sheep's stomach. I put it in my crockpot with just a little water. I cooked it all day on low w/o lifting the lid. Actually all guests had seconds on it. I was pleasantly surprised about that. I thought it might turn out to be one of those bad news ethnic recipes that we suffer through like Swedish lutefisk.

Of course, I made tatties (mashed potatoes) and neeps (mashed turnips), bannocks (oatcakes). Homemade pickalilly and picked beets, lemon curd, gooseberry jam, red currant jam, and topped off with a sherry trifle, and some Laphroig single malt Scotch. Everything was complete with poetry readings, "Ode to a Haggis" and other poems, then to the music room for singing some of the old Burns songs and ending with Auld Lang Syne. Only thing we didn't have was the bagpipe.

[Robo410]

I've had really well made haggis in the UK and once over here. My first impression was, good but if you fried it, it would be even better! I've gotten over that, but I did fry it once and it was good that way too.

If you know the mid atlantic area, you may have come across scrapple...kinda a pork haggis rather than a sheep one, but same kind of idea in using up all you can of an animal. Waste not want not!

GLad to hear you are keeping the traditions!

[YT2095]

never heard of beef or venisen used in a haggis!???

it`s Always sheep and the offal, liver lungs kidneys the fat and of course the muscle meat. then the oats onion and pepper.
neeps and tatties are must-have served with it :)

[xmascarol1]

We can't get offal here, but I was imagining that in the old days the Scots did what i did, use what I had which was as above. Essentially it's just a meat loaf steamed. And yes, I did put 2 onions in it too. Also, I forgot to say, I also made cockaleekie soup too. It was okay, but not my favorite whick soup flavor. There again, they use what they have. (I live quite a few miles from a store, and as the snow is deep, trips to the store are limited.

[Hoot]

Always wanted to try haggis. I am very familiar with scrapple and if haggis is similar, then I reckon I am gonna have to try haggis. Got a friend in Kentucky by the name of MacDonald. I wonder if he knows anything about making it. He and his wife are both excellent cooks. I will let y'all know how it turns out.

[ErikC]

Sounds like you went to a lot of work, well worth it for a Robbie Burns' Night! And I love Laphroig, too, even though I am more partial to Ardbeg and Lagavulin.

I did not see Cock-a-Leekie soup on the menu...I had heard that was fairly common for this celebration. Any particular reason you didn't make it, or were you simply overworked already as it sounds like ?

[csalt]

Here's a recipe for baked haggis.
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1...ked-haggis.jsp

[xmascarol1]

Well, I did have cockaleekie soup too. I did mention it a couple of posts above yours. It was lovely but not as good as regular homemade chicken noodle. I'll have to try your recommendations for another single malt.

[xmascarol1]

csalt, I couldn't find the recipe, just the directions for baking it. What are the ingredients for the baked haggis.

[che'mark]

Your Haggis sounds great, I could live without the offal parts. My understanding of "tatties and neeps" are as you said mashed potatoes and mashed turnips served separately. "Neeps and tatties" on the other hand are potatoes and turnips mashed together. The turnips are usually Yellow turnips or Swedes (Rutabagas) rather than our American style turnips.