Scottish Winter Warmer
One of our resident Scotsmen, Allan Asquith, suggested our readers might like some Scottish Winter warming dishes. We’ ve already shared three of them in previous issues. Here is the piece de resistance:
Haggis
Ingredients
1 Stomach bag of sheep 100g Sheep’ s liver 1 Sheep’ s heart 2 Onions 50g Beef suet 75g Toasted oatmeal 250ml Gravy from liver Salt Black pepper
Method
Wash the stomach bag thoroughly, first in cold water then, scraping, in hot water. Leave to lie overnight in a bowl of cold salted water. Wash again carefully and place in a pan of boiling water to cover, with the windpipe hanging over the side. Add 1 tsp salt and boil for 2 hours. Remove from pan and cut away the windpipe and any gristle.
Clean the liver and the heart, washing well, and boil with the onions for about 30 minutes or until tender. When cool, mince the meat, onion and seasoning. Add the oatmeal and enough liquor from the meat to make a soft, droppable consistency.
Fill the bag, just over half full, leaving space for the mixture to expand. Sew up the hole with strong thread and cook haggis in a large pan of boiling water for 3 hours. Prick occasionally with a skewer to prevent it from bursting.
Should the haggis be made some time before it is wanted, reheat in boiling water, boiling without the lid for 1.5 hours.
Note: There is many a legend connected with the origin and ingredients of the haggis. However, it is- and always will be- Scotland’ s greatest national dish, piped in with great ceremony at Burns suppers everywhere. It is served with neeps and tatties( turnips and potatoes) and washed down with nips of whisky.
St Margaret’ s News 12 June 2018