Weekend Cooking - Burns Night!

As this is the last Weekend before 25th January, I thought that I would write about Burns Night. Last year I wrote a guest post over at Geneabloggers last year about Burns Night, explaining how it is celebrated, the poems and with what foods. I have also mentioned previously about a typical meal, in which the essential ingredients are Haggis, Potato and Suede or as they call it north of the border neep!

Haggis can be found in most super markets here in the UK. They are usually found on the fresh meat counters and can be frozen. I routinely have at least two in the freezer. They do need defrosting before cooking.

Haggis can be cooked on the hob, in a pan of boiled water. As soon as the water boils reduce the heat and add the Haggis, with the water simmering it takes around an hour. Haggis can also be cooked in the oven, remove from the plastic casing and wrap in tin foil. Place the Haggis into an oven proof dish with a little water and cook, usually for around an hour. If you cook via the microwave, I usually remove the outer plastic and skin, and don't forget the metal clips at the ends! Cut the Haggis into small segments and cook on full power. Length of time will vary depending on your microwave. 

Picture of ready cooked Haggis.

Haggis Pie

Cook Suede and Potatoes

Haggis cooked for about 3 minutes in the microwave (mine is 900w)

Cut Haggis into sections and place in bottom of a dish, I use a Lasagna dish

Mash Suede and place on top of Haggis

Mash potato and place on top of Suede.

Place in Oven for (mine is fan assisted) so 20 minutes until nice and brown.

Wee Beestie!

Cook Haggis and break into bits with a fork.

Serve on a bed of mashed potato and mashed suede (neep)

cover with cheese sauce and a light dusting of black pepper to taste


A nice, informative and easy to read book about a Burns Night Supper is Master Chef Tom's Burns Night

Robert Burns 1759 - 1796

And just to finish off, here is a picture of the man himself!

Weekend Cooking is hosted by BethFishReads

Master Chef Tom's Burns Night by Tom Bridge

A great and easy to read book. It starts off with some details of the very first Burns Supper in 1801. Over the following 200 years the celebration of Burns Night is known the world over.

The book explains that Haggis is a cooked product and simply needs to be reheated, which can be done by steaming, boiling, oven heat and microwave.

Also provided is a traditional Burns Supper menu, which is hyper linked to photos or the recipe. There is some brief history to background of the dishes, the ingredients, the cooking method and chef's tips.

The book then finishes with a typical Burns Supper programme. Starting with Grace, Entrance of the Haggis, The Immortal Memory address, Toast to the Lassies and the subsequent reply, Tam O'Shanter, Music, Songs and Poems and then the closing address.

All in all, a nice little book with a mixture of the history of the event, recipes with photos and proceedings.

Wee Beastie!

Cook Haggis and break into bits with a fork.

Serve on a bed of mashed potato and mashed suede (neep)

cover with cheese sauce and a light dusting of black pepper to taste.

Haggis Pie

A colleague told me how to make Haggis Pie - nothing difficult or time consuming. As luck would have it, lurking at the bottom of the freezer was a Haggis.

Cook Suede and Potatoes
Defrosted Haggis (took from freezer yesterday) and then cooked for about 3 minutes in the microwave
Cut Haggis into sections and place in bottom of a dish, I use a Lasagna dish
Mash Suede and place on top of Haggis
Mash potatoe and place on top of Suede.
Place in Oven for (mine is fan assisted) so 20 mins until nice and brown.

Verdict: Delicious!