Fair fa your honest sonsie face! Yup, we're talking haggis. Serious Burns. Although in my book Haggis is most definitely for life and not just for Burns Night (25th January for the uninitiated). However today I'm celebrating the life and works of Scotland's National Poet in soup form. Not sure why I've never gone down this route before with the holy trinity of Scottish ingredients but it absolutely works. Serve with a Nessie ladle and a glass of Scotch Whisky.
Haggis, Neeps and Tatties Soup
Serves 6
1 Onion
Splash of Scottish Rapeseed Oil
500g Tatties (potatoes)
300g Neeps (swede)
1.8L beef/lamb stock
450g Haggis
Salt & Pepper
1/2 Tsp English Mustard Powder
Nip of Whisky (optional)
Peel and finely chop the onion and sweat it in a large soup pan along with a splash of Scottish Rapeseed Oil.
Whilst the onions are cooking, peel the neep and the tatties and grate or finely chop them. Add to the pan alongside the onions and continue to sweat for a couple more minutes.
Next add 1.8 litres of stock to the pan. I used 2 lamb stock cubes and one beef stock pot. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove the haggis from its outer cover and cut into small cubes.
At this point you can either add all the haggis to the soup, warm it through and serve it in a rustic broth style or alternatively, for a smoother version add half the haggis to the soup and blitz with a stick blender. Heat the remaining haggis in the microwave and heap it up in the middle of the bowl.
For both versions you will need to taste and season before serving. How much seasoning you need will very much depend on your haggis. I added a generous amount of freshly ground salt and pepper plus a 1/2 teaspoon of English mustard powder.
True Scots may wish to add a nip of whisky.
Slainte!
