Haggis Recipe's...

[Lifter]

Hogmanay is but a week and a bit away, and "Burns Night" is only a month from the weekend...

Could the Scottish ex-pat's not come up with their "home made Haggis" recipe's?

I will be contacting the Pipe Major on this one, and researching the sources of supply for "pin head oats" that he swears by...

Input invited!

Lifter

 

[Darkstream]

You could try asking here:

http://www.sausagemaking.org/forum/

 

[Ishbel]

I don't make my own... I always buy from my local butcher, who makes great haggis... but, the very best (IMO) commercially made haggis are MacSween's of Edinburgh. They still have a butchers shop in central Edinburgh, but have moved their factory out to Loanhead(on the outskirts). http://www.foodloversbritain.com/organisations/organisation-1166.html


I understand that the US do not allow importation of 'proper' haggis as they do not approve of some of the lights that are in the dish (principally, the lungs, I believe). However, I don't think the same applies to Canada...

I use Haggis as a buffet item in stuffed mushrooms at Hogmanay But we eat haggis about once a fortnight during the winter months. Always with mashed tatties and chappit neeps. Any leftovers are eaten as a side dish with a fried breakfast at weekends by hungry offspring...

And.... errrrmmm - I've never considered Scottish food an 'ethnic' cuisine before... 8)

 

[Lifter]

Sorry, I had to include it, if we can speak of "Uktainian Food" or "Polish" this or that....and certainly, haggis is sort of restricted to the Scots, as a people...

??

Lifter

 

[Ishbel]

So would you include things like Shepherd's Pie, Roast Beef and Roast Lamb, mutton pies etc .... ethnic foods? I consider them pretty mainstream myself 8)

 

[Lifter]

No, not really..."Shepherd's Pie" is not that far off the French "Tortiere" (sp?)! of ground meat in a pie form...; Roasting beef is, thank God for our cattle industry worldwide, and lamb dates back to Biblical times, but of course you were just "pulling my chain"!

For a laugh, a "number of years ago" we "entertained" the Japanese buyers, complete with their "escort" of Contractors, and, of course, our "dealer" for our product...paid forthe trip in its entirety...

When on the "Left Coast", showed them the "Bounty" of the place, King Crab, shrimp, wild Sockeye salmon, you name it, and "asked" what they wantd for dinner, and the answer, (all together!) was "STEAK!!"

Can certainly agree that there are somewhat "universal" recipes for partridge, duck, beef, chicken, or goose, to name but a few...but for escargot, one would be accused of "French cooking"...which gets a bit "ethnic"...as do "truffles", "coq au vin", corned beef and hash, for that matter, lef-ze for the Norwegians, "Fish and Brewis for the Newfoundlanders, "flipper pie" for the northeasterner Canucks, well, I could go on, but we all get the point...(ooh! touch a nerve, "scrapple" in the USA northeast!)

Likewise, "sausage" is a bit "ethnic" German or Polish or Ukrainian...(dare I mention my posts on "headcheese"?)


(OOPS!) How about "Americans" with "hot dogs"?

Can't think of too many places where "haggis" or "Black Bun" are the staples of New Years, or where "Hogmanay" is celebrated, outside of familiar heritage, so in my thinking, yes, this gets a bit "ethnic"...

And Scots ex-patriates the world over are proud and happy to celebrate their heritage with such things as "haggis", even if we don't have it as often as you...and have "inherited" some "recipe's"!

Tatties, neeps, scones, bring it all on...its great!

We all make it a "bit different" according to local law or supply, but we all make referenceto basic design and "taste" of a dish, as best we can....

Great to have your link back to Scotland's butchers and makers!

Hope we do it as well!

Lifter

 

[Darkstream]

Lifter, go here for recipes:

http://www.sausagemaking.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=250

Ethnic in the context of this forum means non mainstream US. So weiners would not be ethnic but bratwurst would, Pizza and Dutch Apple Pie or Cajun cooking would be mainstream and not ethnic, steak and kidney pudding and bacon rolly polly would be as ethnic as nasi goreng or vindaloo.

 

[Audeo]

Ah, Lifter, I am most happy to contribute to this foin thread with my own "American" version....

And, yes, sheep lungs are illegal by US FDA standards. And you will need to have a close relationship with a local butcher to obtain the paunch (here in Texas, they tend to chop them up for a dish called "Menudo"), as well as the beef kidneys. But it can be done. Personally, I really love the stuff, but eat it only once a year with all pomp and circumstance our area can produce!


American Haggis

2 lbs lamb roast , chopped into one-inch pieces
1 beef heart and 1 beef kidney
2 lbs. beef liver
1 cup pin oats (NOT Quaker Oats!)
3 onions, finely chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup beef stock
1 intact sheep stomach

Wash the stomach well, rub with salt and rinse. Remove membranes and excess fat. Soak in cold salted water for several hours. Turn stomach inside out (rough side out) for stuffing.

Cover heart, liver and kidney with cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Coarsely chop the organ meats and add with chopped lamb roast to a food processor and pulse several times to chop fine and blend. Meanwhile, toast the oatmeal in a skillet, stirring frequently, until golden. Combine all the ingredients and mix well in a very large bowl. Loosely pack the mixture into the stomach, but only to about two-thirds full. (Remember, oatmeal expands in cooking.)

Press any air out of stomach and truss securely. Place the stuffed stomach into a very large stock pot of boiling water to cover. Simmer for 3 hours, uncovered, adding more water as needed to maintain water level. Prick stomach several times with a sharp needle when it begins to swell (this keeps the bag from bursting).

Place on a hot platter, removing trussing strings. Douse during ceremony with good whisky and serve with a spoon.

NOTE: If you cannot find a whole stomach, spoon the uncooked mix into a well-greased, large pyrex bowl and place several layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil against the surface of the Haggis. Place on a strong wire rack over a large pan of water and steam in a 375-degree (F) oven for about 3-4 hours, adding water often.

And, Ishbel: Didn't McSween develop the first vegetarian Haggis as a challenge? I think it is slightly sweet and has kidney beans in it? Of course, I may be totally dilusional on this...!

 

[Ishbel]

Yes, you are correct about MacSween's 'vegetarian haggis'.... a weird concept.....! I've tried it a couple of times, but honestly didn't warm to it at all! But, 2 friends who are vegetarian like it, so if it passes their taste tests, I suppose it must be OK!

 

[Haggis]

Loanhead, that's where my dad originally hails from.

He always manages to bring back haggis in canned format ()whenever he goes over...I'll give it a miss.

 

[Ishbel]

You are wise to give the canned haggis a miss, Haggis! Minging is probably a fair description.

Your Dad's from Loanhead? My Aunti lives there! Mind you, we refer to her as a 'Teuchter', coming from the 'country' as it were!