Haggis

The webmaster has actually made haggis (different, but now lost recipe) for her grandmother (Clan Ross) on the occasion of introducing her beau to said grandmother. Talk about an ice breaker.

As soon as we asked the butcher for the ingredients he knew what we were making. Unfortunately about 1/2 of the ingredients are not legal, at least in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It can be a bit messy but fresh-made does taste wonderful, even if you can get all the ingredients.

Here is Alton Brown's (Good Eats) traditional recipe,

Ingredients:

• 1 sheep stomach
• 1 sheep liver
• 1 sheep heart
• 1 sheep tongue
• 1/2 pound suet, minced
• 3 medium onions, minced
• 1/2 pound dry oats, toasted
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried ground herbs
• Rinse the stomach thoroughly and soak overnight in cold salted water.

Directions:

1. Rinse the liver, heart, and tongue.
2. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook these parts over medium heat for 2 hours.
3. Remove and mince. Remove any gristle or skin and discard.
4. In a large bowl, combine the minced liver, heart, tongue, suet, onions, and toasted oats.
5. Season with salt, pepper, and dried herbs.
6. Moisten with some of the cooking water so the mixture binds.
7. Remove the stomach from the cold salted water and fill 2/3 with the mixture.
8. Sew or tie the stomach closed.
9. Use a turning fork to pierce the stomach several times. This will prevent the haggis from bursting.
10. In a large pot of boiling water, gently place the filled stomach, being careful not to splash. Cook over high heat for 3 hours.

Serve with mashed potatoes, if you serve it all

This recipe is perhaps a bit more attainable, tempting and perhaps even more palatable. This haggis recipe is from Epicurean.com

• 1 lb Boneless lamb shoulder or breast, cut into pieces, or use ground lamb
• 1/2 lb Lamb liver; cut into pieces
• 1/2 c ;Water
• 1 sm Onion; coarsely chopped
• 1 lg Egg
• 3/4 ts Salt
• 3/4 ts Pepper, black
• 1/2 ts Sugar
• 1/4 ts Ginger, ground
• 1/8 ts Cloves, ground
• 1/8 ts Nutmeg, ground
• 1 c Oats, rolled, old fashioned

1. Heat oven to 350-F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pan.
2. In food processor with chopping blade, process together half of the lamb, the liver, water, onion, egg, salt, pepper, sugar, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg until well combined.
3. Add the remaining half of the lamb and the oats; process until well combined.
4. Spoon lamb mixture into the greased pan; pat surface to level.
5. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until center feels firm when gently pressed.
6. Cool 5 minutes in pan; unmold onto platter; slice and serve.

For the vegetarians out there, recipes a meatless version of haggis can be found. The Vegetarian Society of the UK offers " A Veggie Haggis for a Burns' Night Feast"

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