Steven Lamb
SOURCING
blackface.co.uk; peelham.co.uk
It may not be immediately appealing, but haggis seems to get the creative juices flowing. This savoury pudding, concocted from offal and wrapped in a sheep’s stomach, has prompted writers from Homer to Burns to describe and celebrate it. And rightly so.
At the risk of upsetting anyone north of the border, the origins of haggis aren’t actually Scottish. The Romans created similar foods, and some believe the haggis as we know it came to us from Scandinavia. However, thanks to the lyricism of Robert Burns the haggis now has tartan DNA running through it.
One of the great things about haggis is that it blends lowly ingredients into a wonderful product, which is certainly more than the sum of its parts. Probably born of necessity – to utilise the whole animal – it is made by cooking the sheep’s ‘pluck’ (lungs, heart and liver) with onions, oatmeal, suet and spices to create a nutty, moist, savoury dish. There is nothing quite like the tender, spicy crumble of haggis spilling from its skin.
Most shop-bought haggis are pre-cooked. To heat them through, simmer in a large saucepan of stock for 45 minutes, or wrap in foil and bake at 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4 for about an hour. At best, haggis is accompanied with potato and swede (‘neeps’) and celebrated with a nip of single malt whisky as the traditional centrepiece of a Burns Night supper in late January. At worst, it is battered and deep-fried in fast food establishments. In between, there are other worthy uses for haggis: I like it served cold with a fruity chutney, for instance.
If you can get hold of a fresh sheep’s pluck, from a butcher or an abbatoir, then making your own haggis is simple and satisfying. The only tricky bit is poaching the pudding gently enough so that it doesn’t rupture.
It isn’t uncommon for Burns Nights to be celebrated beyond the Scottish border. However, the nature of the haggis itself is often lost in translation, particularly to those visitors to Scotland who believe it to be a wild animal that roams the outer Highlands.
ROASTED HAGGIS, SWEDE AND KALE SALAD
Haggis roasts successfully and pairs happily with traditional veg accompaniments in this hearty salad. A generous handful of cooked lentils can be added in place of (or as well as) the kale. Serves 4
1 small swede (about 500g)
300g haggis
6 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, derinded
Leaves from 3–4 sprigs of rosemary
2 fat garlic cloves, sliced
2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
150g curly kale, cavolo nero or Red Russian kale, leaves stripped from the stalk
1–2 tbsp raspberry vinegar or balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and black pepper
Preheat the oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C/Gas 5.
Peel the swede and cut it into roughly 1.5cm cubes. Place in a pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the haggis into roughly 2cm cubes. Cut the bacon into 2cm pieces. Throw both into a large roasting tin.
Drain the swede and toss it into the roasting tin with the haggis and bacon. Scatter over the rosemary leaves and garlic. Trickle with the oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 35–40 minutes, stirring once or twice, until everything is sizzling hot and beginning to caramelise a little.
Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the kale leaves and cook for about 3–4 minutes until tender. Drain thoroughly.
Remove the roasting tin from the oven. Add the kale and 1 tbsp vinegar and stir well. Taste to see if it needs more vinegar, salt or pepper then serve warm, with good bread.