This is another very simple post, a different take on the classic haggis, neeps and tatties. If you’re not sure, and I’m sure most of you are, that means haggis, turnip and potatoes. I know that some people are quite squeamish about haggis, but there’s no need to be. It’s spicy, meaty, warming and filling, and actually more versatile than you might think. You can have it with neeps and tatties, yes, but you can also have it on a baked potato, in samosas, wrapped in filo pastry or as a replacement for beef in bolognese. You can even make your own, if you can get hold of the appropriate offal. My first Rock Salt post was a version of haggis, made of the normal oatmeal and spices mixed with ox heart and kidney, which I oh-so-cleverly called Hoxxis. Proper haggis contains a sheep’s pluck, including lungs, and is wrapped in the sheep’s stomach and boiled, rather than baked, which is what I did. If this leaves you feeling squeamish, it shouldn’t. What do you think sausages are wrapped in? Fairy’s wings? It’s important to eat all the bits of an animal, otherwise it’s a dreadful waste. For more info about this kind of thing, visit Offally Good, where Lucy is living for a year as an offaltarian.
Anyway, I am a big fan of haggis but the last time I had it with neeps and tatties (on Burns night), I did feel like it was lacking quite a lot in the presentation department.
It tasted great though, and it certainly hit the spot. The Haggis Hunter’s Pie is a slightly more refined version of the above, and there will be room on your plate for some green veg, too.
First, the easiest way I find to prepare everything is to get a pot and a couple of bamboo steamers, or metal ones would work just as well. Put a square of greaseproof paper in the top steamer, and place your haggis in it, remembering to split the casing to avoid explosion. This is quite important. Now, cut your turnip into small chunks and place in the bottom steamer, and put your tatties in the pot, covered with boiling water. In the half hour or so it takes to boil your potatoes to almost mush, the haggis and neeps should also be cooked.
Drain and mash the spuds with a spot of milk and too much butter. You can also add a little nutmeg or Sichuan pepper, this matches the spicy haggis. If the turnip isn’t playing along, you can now put it in the pot with fresh boiling water, and place the mashed potatoes on a plate and back into one of the steamers to keep warm while it finishes cooking. When it’s ready, mash it, too. I like to leave the turnip plain, it’s good enough on its own.
Firmly press the haggis into the bottom of a high-sided baking dish. Fill a piping bag with the mashed potato and make stripes across the top, leaving space for equally sized stripes of turnip. Then fill another bag or wash and refill the first one) with the turnip, and do the same thing.
I love this baking dish so much, regardless of what’s in it.
Sprinkle some chives over the top, if you’re feeling a bit fancy.
Bake at 200C for about half an hour, until the top is browned and a little crispy.
Serve with additional veg of your choice. It’ll cure what ails you.
You could vary the way you apply the neeps and tatties to the top – a pattern of piped rosettes would be pretty, or you could spread it on with a fork in a rustic kind of way. You could also add things to the haggis – I considered adding peas and carrots, as in a cottage pie, which I still think would have been nice. It would be sweet to make mini versions, too, in individual casserole dishes.
The humble haggis. It takes a lot of catching, but once you’ve got it, it’s delicious.
May 14th, 2012 at 1:26 PM
That looks great! I’ve got a haggis in my freezer that needs to be eaten, so will definitely be trying this!
May 14th, 2012 at 2:24 PM
It’s a great way to serve it!
May 14th, 2012 at 2:33 PM
Love the presentation!
May 14th, 2012 at 2:39 PM
Thanks!
May 14th, 2012 at 3:39 PM
The thing is, if you didn’t grow up eating offal, or if you ate it prepared badly, you may never eat it. I have eaten liver, sweetbreads, brains and tongue — the only one I would ever willingly eat again is tongue and I don’t go out of my way to eat it. I agree with you that it is important not to waste animal products — we feed giblets to our cats and everyone is happy.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:16 PM
You’re so right, it can be very easy to cook offal wrong, can’t it? You have found a good compromise, your cats are well fed!
May 14th, 2012 at 9:48 PM
I’ve never had the opportunity to try haggis and would at least try it if offered. Offal can be quite tasty, depending upon the cooking method and seasoning. I would have missed some delicious meals had I spent too long a time thinking about a dish’s ingredients.
May 14th, 2012 at 10:55 PM
Haggis is one of those things, some people are quite grossed out by the idea. I really would recommend it though! I’m not sure if it’s allowed round your way – I thought I heard that there was some rule or other about not selling lungs for human consumption. That could easily be a rumour though
May 15th, 2012 at 1:21 PM
Well.. this is certainly an exotic dish to wake up to this morning. You’ve got my brain and taste-buds scramble to find a match but came up empty handed.. I’ve never tasted Haggis but sure would give it a try!.. maybe at your place;) This looks so good…
May 16th, 2012 at 11:40 AM
You’re welcome at any time! Haggis is meaty, rich and spicy – not chili spicy but nutmeg-tingly spicy, if you know what I mean? Lovely stuff
May 15th, 2012 at 3:16 PM
This looks so good! I love the idea of filling pastry dough with haggis, that is something I’d definitely love to try.
May 16th, 2012 at 11:43 AM
It’s a nice combination, especially with a soft egg of the side…
May 16th, 2012 at 1:20 AM
Haggis is very versatile. I curried some haggis! At christmas I think you could make haggis mince pies.
Offal appears to be something that it’s easy to have bad experience of and be very put off by. That’s a shame. Some people have texture issues. Again, that’s a shame. But keep trying – I came to the offal-eating from a background of overdone liver and piss-tasting pub kidney pie. Heart is delicious. Cheeks are the best meat for slow cooking. Trotters and tripe are lip-smackingly good.
There’s such variety in offal, that there’s definitely an offal out there for everyone.
Amen.
May 16th, 2012 at 11:43 AM
Amen Lucy. Testify!
May 18th, 2012 at 10:19 AM
Having previously run a mile from haggis, I had it for the first time in aberdeen several years ago and loved it. now that could be because I had been whisky tasting as well, however have loved it ever since and needed a new way to eat it, love the recipe, so will get the haggis out of the freezer!
x Steph
May 18th, 2012 at 11:40 AM
It’s great stuff, perhaps the whisky helped though!
May 28th, 2012 at 10:07 PM
That looks delicious! Didn’t get to eat enough haggis whilst in Scotland last week- though the curried haggis was tasty on Friday night.
May 28th, 2012 at 10:31 PM
Haggis pakora is good, but it’s not a patch on haggis, neeps and tatties, however you serve them… It was so great to meet you, glad to make another blogging buddy!
May 29th, 2012 at 12:11 PM
I’ll agree with all of the above!