Haggis, Neeps & Tatties
Scotland's Burns Night centrepiece. A well-made haggis is oats, oatmeal, sheep's pluck and beef suet, seasoned heavily with pepper, and steamed slowly in its casing. Served with mashed swede (neeps) and mashed potato (tatties), and a nip of whisky.
Ingredients
1 traditional haggis (approx. 1 kg)
700 g swede, peeled and chopped
700 g floury potatoes, peeled
100 g salted butter
60 ml whole milk, warm
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch grated nutmeg
Method
- 1
Wrap the haggis in foil, prick the casing in a few places and set on a trivet in a large pan of gently simmering water. Cover and steam for 1 hour 15 minutes (or per pack instructions). Never boil hard, or the casing will split.
- 2
Boil the swede in salted water until very tender, about 30 minutes. Drain, dry off in the pan over low heat, then mash with 30 g butter, plenty of pepper and the nutmeg.
- 3
Boil the potatoes until tender, drain, and mash with the remaining butter and warm milk. Season.
- 4
Unwrap the haggis at the table, slit along the top and spoon the crumbly filling onto warm plates.
- 5
Serve alongside heaps of neeps and tatties. A dram of whisky beside the plate is traditional.
Cook's notes
Vegetarian haggis works well here — same treatment, same accompaniments.