Friday 5 November 2010

Haggis


Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace
As lang's my arm. 



Address to a Haggis by Robert Burns. Scotland's favourite son. The Bard. We are expected to revere this eighteenth century poet but trust me when it is a compulsory subject to study in Scottish schools by the time you finish you could see him in hell. Please don't get me started on Tam O'Shanter. While having no love of the poet I am a huge fan of the subject matter, Haggis. Up there with whisky it is one of Scotland's finest exports. I was reared on it and love it..  I can of course buy it in this part of the world, but, for some unknown reason they make it with pork. Mutton /lamb is what should be  used. Well would you like a beef burger made of pork?.When I am in Scotland I always buy two or three large sausages from a butchers then slice it and freeze it.




This is a much more convenient way of using haggis. I can just lift a few slices from the freezer as required and turn them in the pan. They take on the crumbly texture just the same as the traditional haggis packed in a sheep's stomach. Lovely an spicy it is a taste experience you should not miss. It also makes a wonderful stuffing for steak or chicken



If you are a very brave and adventurous cook you can of course make it from scratch

Haggis Ingredients:


1 sheep's stomach bag
1 sheep's pluck - liver, lungs and heart
3 onions
250g beef Suet
150g oatmeal
salt and lots of black pepper
a pinch of cayenne
150mls of stock/gravy

Haggis Cooking Directions:


1. Clean the stomach bag thoroughly and soak overnight. In the morning turn it inside out.

2. Wash the pluck and boil for 1.5 hours, ensuring the windpipe hangs over the pot allowing drainage of the impurities.

3. Mince the heart and lungs and grate half the liver.

4. Chop up the onions and suet.

5. Warm the oatmeal in the oven.

6. Mix all the above together and season with the salt and pepper. Then add the cayenne.

7. Pour over enough of the pluck boiled water to make the mixture watery.

8. Fill the bag with the mixture until it's half full.

9. Press out the air and sew the bag up.

10. Boil for 3 hours (you may need to prick the bag with a wee needle if it looks like blowing up!) without the lid on.

11. Serve with neeps and tatties.

Me? I prefer the easy route to my favourite dish. I'll leave the hard part to the butcher. Perhaps someday I will have a go.
As a post script I don't usually serve the haggis as shown in the photo. The idea is just to pile it on a plate with creamy mashed potatoes (tatties)and puréed turnips (neeps) but in that form it is not very photogenic so I poshed it up a little.





14 comments:

MoOn said...

I had it when I was in Scotland and I did actually love it :)

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

I would love to taste Haggis. That dish looks good.

Cheers,

Rosa

Unknown said...

Granny!... that dish looks so amazing! I simply ADORE haggis, or anything like that really... so hearty and with such depth of flavour... I think you've inspired me to hunt down a good supplier here in Lincolnshire x

Unknown said...

Good morning!
Never tried, but so tempting and your presentation is absolutely stunning!
Have a nice day!
Barbaraxx

Manu said...

OMG I'm just a little confused!This recipes looks so yummy, the problem is that I've never eaten sheep in my life as I think I don't like it, or better we don't use to eat sheep in Italy.
Another problem is that on December I'll be in Scotland for a wedding and I've been told menu will be made using typical dishes, so maybe it could be the day I taste sheep! I still don't know what I'm going to do . . .

Joie de vivre said...

Granny, You make haggis look wonderful! (I know it is, it's just not very photogenic usually, you know?) Unfortunately, the U.S. has a haggis import ban in place! I haven't had haggis since a trip to Scotland 12 years ago now!

Grannymar said...

I have eaten haggis and am prepared to wait until I go to Scotland for the next mouthful! The recipe reminds me of my father's stories about his mother making black pudding when he was young!

Unknown said...

I just wanted to say I love your blog! May daughter is "crepesofwrath.net, and I found you through her blog. Everything you write and make is so interesting!
Cheers, Joanne from Scottsdale AZ

Rhyleysgranny said...

Dom - I hope you get a supplier. I expect it can be got on the net but I have never tried.

MoOn - Nice to see you here. I am glad you enjoyed haggis. So many cringe at the thought of it.

Rosa - You need to try it someday.

Barabars - Thank you

Manu - Don't worry about the wedding. I have no doubt they will have salmon as a choice. :)

J de V - I didn't know that. I suppose because of BSE. We don't import from the states because of the hormone treatment of animals and GM crops. It's a shame isn't it.

Grannymar - Don't worry I can supply you with some from my stash :)

Joanne - How lovely of you to drop in. Your daughter's blog is lovely. I have only recently found it. I hope you will call back x

Gloria Baker said...

Dear Brenda this look realy delicious! nice!Love the presentation! gloria

Brownieville Girl said...

Fantastic presentation - worthy of any restaurant!

I'm inclined to think that I am better off not knowing what is contained in haggis/black pudding etc!!!!! A case of ignorance is bliss!

Cynthia said...

I know that this is something I would like.

Looking forward to seeing you in January!

The Caked Crusader said...

Your presentation is so beautiful - I've never thought of haggis as looking attractive on the plate, but you've achieved it!

Sarah said...

YO! Granny goes hardcore! I'm so used to seeing lovely bakes and cakes, this took me aback. Bravo, this looks amazing and quite inspiring for an ingredient I have zero resonance with. It's one of those ingredients I really feel I OUGHT to tackle. :) sarah x