Burns Night: A classic haggis, neeps and tatties recipe and how to use up the leftovers

Jeff Baker shares two recipes to inspire a night of poetic revelry

(Jeff Baker)

Nothing says Burns Night like a delicious haggis supper. For those who don’t know, Burns Night is an annual celebration of Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns. Every January, Scots around the world gather to share a meal inspired by his work and commemorate his life.

What better way to honour this tradition than with two haggis recipes, courtesy of Farmison and Co’s executive chef Jeff Baker? Go classic with his haggis, neeps and tatties with whisky sauce, or try something a bit different the morning after with the haggis on toast with brown sauce and fried egg. Both are sure to delight your tastebuds and inpsire your own poetic revelry.

Sláinte mhath!

Haggis, neeps and tatties with whisky sauce

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1 Traditional Haggis (454g)

1 small swede (neeps) plus 2 carrots, peeled and cut into cubes

3 large (tatties) King Edward or Maris piper potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes

50g cold diced butter

Splash hot milk

Nutmeg to grate

Chopped chives to garnish

Sea salt and cracked black pepper

For the sauce:

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, sliced

150ml rich chicken stock

1 tsp Dijon mustard

20g cold butter, diced

Splash single malt whisky

Method:

1. For the haggis, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, then place the haggis in the pan and very gently simmer for 45 minutes reaching a minimum core temperature of 72C. Top tip: wrapping the haggis in foil will help prevent the haggis from bursting in the pan as it cooks.

2. Whilst the haggis is cooking, boil the potatoes in one pan and the swede and carrot in another; add a little salt to each of the pans and boil until tender – this should take approximately 30 minutes.

3. Drain the mash separately; adding half the butter to each pan and the milk to the tatties, season to taste with salt and pepper, adding a little nutmeg to the tatties.

4. For the sauce, soften the shallot and garlic in a small amount of butter then add the stock and mustard, reduce by half then whisk in the remaining cold butter, finish by adding the whisky to taste, pass through a fine strainer and keep warm.

5. To serve, spoon the haggis onto the warm serving plates alongside the neeps and tatties sprinkled with a few chopped chives, serve the sauce in a jug on the side and enjoy.

Haggis on toast with brown sauce and fried egg

(Jeff Baker)

Serves: 2

Inspired from one of my all-time favourite places to go The Broad Chare, another one of Terry Laybourne’s’ amazing venues. This is a lovely breakfast, lunch or supper alternative and a great way to use up any leftover haggis.

Ingredients:

Leftover haggis (approximately 100g per person)

2 slices thick cut sourdough, toasted

Salted butter for spreading

2 free range eggs

75ml rich lamb or chicken stock

2 tbsp Brown Sauce

5g flat leaf parsley, shredded

Sea salt

Oil for frying

Method:

1. Bring the stock to a boil, remove from heat and whisk in the brown sauce, keep hot.

2. Butter the toast then evenly spread the haggis onto the toast and keep hot.

3. Gently fry the eggs in oil leaving the yolk runny then place on top of the haggis and sprinkle with a little sea salt.

4. Pour the sauce around the toast, scatter with parsley and serve straight away.